RUSTLE!

The night wind blew, stirring up dust from the concrete ground.

Between Factory Street’s Building Three and Building Four lay a long, narrow, and gloomy alley, like a fissure between two concrete walls.

Few people ever passed through here, especially at night.

THUMP! THUMP!!

And yet, a figure emerged from within, his silhouette taking shape at the mouth of the dark alley.

He wore a mask and had a tall, thin frame.

A gray hoodie bundled him up tightly, leaving only his eyes exposed.

Lu Chao, who was just on his way home, froze. Only two short meters separated them.

’It’s him.’

A chill crept into his heart. Although he couldn’t see the man’s face, Lu Chao felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

Those cold, merciless eyes, sizing him up like prey.

It was like needles of ice piercing his bones. Everything felt like a repeat of that scene at the Factory Street intersection two months ago, and now they were face to face.

THUMP!

In a flash, his footsteps resumed. Lu Chao suppressed his emotions and regained his composure, the muscles under his clothes slowly tensing as he continued forward.

The approaching masked man did the same, averting his gaze as if he were just a passerby. They were about to cross paths.

"Hahaha, drink up, drink up!"

"Heard Old Li went crazy? Started believing in gods and stuff. Is that for real?"

"That chick’s got a nice ass. I’ll be back to give you more business next time."

The night wind picked up again, carrying with it the sounds of drinking games from the barbecue joint behind them, and the chatter and laughter from the corner supermarket and hair salon.

Lu Chao’s expression remained neutral and his pace steady, but a storm was raging in his heart.

The reason for this was...

[Carbon-Based Human]

[Life Energy: 21 (Corroding)]

[Quality: Inferior]

[Consumption Effect: A human who worships a High-Dimensional Demon God. Suspected to possess a one-in-ten-thousand trace of Elemental Demon bloodline. Consuming his flesh and blood provides a chance to attract the attention of the High-Dimensional Demon God and have a Seed of Corruption planted within you.]

The intuitive sense from [Devour and Grow] suddenly activated, causing the status panel to automatically appear.

Lines of information flooded Lu Chao’s vision. Despite his incredible willpower, his pupils still contracted in shock.

’Corroding? What kind of status is that?’

’High-Dimensional Demon God, Elemental Demon bloodline, Seed of Corruption...’ These words, like a nightmarish delirium, relentlessly assaulted Lu Chao’s understanding of the world.

THUMP!

In his state of shock and suspicion, he brushed past the man, about to continue on his way.

But right at that moment.

"I didn’t expect you to have broken through to the Fighting Level."

The voice that sounded from behind him was like grinding gravel—hoarse, grating, and exceptionally unpleasant.

The masked man had abruptly stopped walking.

His heart dropped.

Lu Chao’s face tightened. He felt every bit of the chill in his heart erupt at once, goosebumps breaking out all over his skin.

In that instant, all his doubts, apprehension, and shock were suppressed.

He was left with only his most primitive survival instinct!

BANG!

Stomping his left foot, Lu Chao whipped around, twisting at the waist and hips.

His right fist shot out like a cannonball, tearing through the air as it hurtled toward the man’s back.

He didn’t know why, but the man was clearly targeting him.

And the only thing to do now was to strike first, to drive him back, or even kill him!

BOOM!!

It was a decisive blow. He unleashed his full power, the force of his punch creating a whistling sound.

And soon, within his line of sight...

WHOOSH!!

The tall, thin masked man spun around like a phantom.

His movements were too fast for the eye to follow. It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head, seeing everything and precisely dodging the punch.

They were face to face again. Lu Chao’s punch hit nothing but air, grazing the corner of the man’s clothes. His eyes widened in disbelief.

A flash of surprise also crossed the other man’s eyes, as if he hadn’t expected such a decisive attack.

WHOOSH!

Then, without any delay.

The masked man’s right hand shot out like an arrow, formed into an Eagle Claw, and aimed straight for Lu Chao’s face.

"WOOOO—!!"

A piercing, ripping sound suddenly tore through the air, and at the same time, an inexplicable cold stabbed into Lu Chao’s heart.

It was like the wailing of ghosts and howling of wolves, as if his very spirit had been plunged into an ice cellar.

His body suddenly stiffened, his consciousness seemingly disrupted.

WHOOSH!!

At the same time, the rushing wind grew closer, so close that the skin on his face felt a scraping pain.

Lu Chao’s vision was filled with nothing but those five cold, Eagle Claw-like fingers, which seemed to swallow the surrounding lights from the buildings as they threatened to poke a bloody hole in his head.

’Move!’

’Move!!’

’Damn it, move!!!’

Lu Chao roared inwardly. He couldn’t possibly accept falling here.

’AHHH!!!’

BOOM!!

Suddenly, it was as if his iron-tough will had transformed into a steel blade, cutting down the evil presence.

Lu Chao’s body abruptly regained sensation. He dodged and stepped back, barely avoiding the oncoming strike.

RIP!

A five-fingered claw mark was torn into his gray t-shirt, and Lu Chao felt a stinging pain on his chest.

Looking down, he saw blood gradually seeping from the broken skin, staining his torn shirt red.

"Oh?"

The masked man paused, another flicker of surprise in his cold, merciless eyes.

HUFF! HUFF!!

Gasping for breath, Lu Chao’s face was covered in a fine sheen of cold sweat. He knew he had just had a brush with death.

If he hadn’t snapped out of it at the last critical moment, he would have been severely wounded, if not killed.

’But what kind of technique was that just now?’

"Impressive willpower."

The masked man spoke suddenly, his hoarse voice like grinding gravel.

His cold, merciless eyes were like those of a viper. Before Lu Chao could recover, the man lunged forward, his arms crisscrossing in an Eagle Claw formation as he launched a fierce assault.

The situation had turned dire, but the strange, wailing noise from before didn’t reappear.

Sensing something, Lu Chao gritted his teeth, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and completely abandoned any idea of escape. He had only one plan left.

BOOM!!

Without retreating or dodging, he planted his feet as if they had grown roots into the ground and threw his fists forward with heavy force.

THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP!

In a single instant, they exchanged more than a dozen blows, the dull thuds echoing continuously.

The nearby alley was dark and narrow, with no one passing by. The laughter from the distant barbecue joint and hair salon continued unabated.

In the heat of battle, Lu Chao’s arms trembled slightly. He was having a hard time. The force behind the Eagle Claw was unusually insidious, seeming to drill right into his pores.

The masked man on the other side, however, narrowed his eyes, another trace of surprise rising within them.

His steel-like Eagle Claw was finding it difficult to tear through his opponent’s defenses. He focused his gaze and saw that Lu Chao’s fists had, at some point, changed color, becoming a stony, ashen-white.

THUD!!

Another sudden, evenly-matched collision, and both of them staggered!

Lu Chao keenly caught the man’s momentary falter. Seizing the fleeting opportunity, the muscles in his right arm bunched up as he once again unleashed his full strength.

Over two hundred kilograms of force poured out madly. The stone-like, ashen-white fist was unstoppable.

BANG!!

Fist met claw, just a foot in front of him.

The two streams of savage, brute force collided, sending a swirling current of air sweeping through the alley.

STOMP STOMP STOMP!!

The masked man, whose Life Energy was slightly weaker, finally showed signs of faltering, sliding back several steps.

Lu Chao’s eyes narrowed. Pressing his advantage, he stepped forward, his left arm punching out like a cannon blast, intending to end it all.

"Rooh!!"

However.

A strange, alien syllable suddenly escaped the masked man’s lips. It was twisted and obscure, and the formless cold appeared once more.

It was as if a demon were whispering, descending upon this place from across the dimensions of space.

It was also like a chilling wind from the netherworld sweeping through the street, instantly freezing Lu Chao’s consciousness.

CLICK!

Instantly, his body went rigid.

His lunging step came to an abrupt halt. His full-power punch froze in mid-air.

Lu Chao’s eyes went dim, becoming vacant and dull. Every inch of his muscles stiffened and solidified. All movement ceased.

The ashen-white fist, just an inch from its target, even changed color, fading back to its normal, ruddy complexion, no longer a threat.

Seeing this, and confirming that his prey was now paralyzed.

A glint appeared in the masked man’s eyes. In his cold pupils, blood vessels spread rapidly like a spider’s web!

Veins bulged on his forehead, visible to the naked eye. Sweat trickled down his cheeks, and his breathing grew ragged.

This move clearly placed a heavy burden on him, as if it required some sort of price to be paid.

Then, not daring to delay.

He immediately thrust his claw forward, aiming straight for Lu Chao’s heart, ready to end it all.

But then...

BOOM!!

The previously frozen punch suddenly exploded forward. Its ruddy color rapidly changed, once again becoming ashen-white.

THUD!!

The furious punch, wrapped in rage and killing intent, slammed mercilessly into the masked man’s head, breaking his nose and causing his eyeballs to bulge. He was sent reeling backward uncontrollably.

"You..."

A chill seized the masked man’s heart. Ignoring the pain racking his body, he stared at the young man opposite him with the corner of his eye.

His once-dim eyes were now bright and sharp. Where was there even a trace of having been affected by the attack?

WHOOSH!

The next instant, before he could react or regain his balance.

Lu Chao charged forward like a volcano, suppressed to its limit, finally erupting as he rushed straight in for the kill.

The wind from his fists cleared away the dust, revealing the knotted muscles of his arm, exposed by his gray t-shirt, which looked as if carved from rock.

BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

The ashen-white fists struck out repeatedly, each blow landing with unerring accuracy on the masked man’s chest.

In just a few seconds, his fists became a blur. Lu Chao’s heart was like a high-performance engine, pounding like a war drum and allowing him to unleash every last bit of his brute strength.

THUD THUD THUD THUD!!

The sound of fists landing squarely on flesh accompanied them, echoing dully through the alley.

The dim yellow streetlights flickered, and the sound-activated lights of Buildings Three and Four lit up one after another.

The masked man had completely lost any chance to fight back. Like a dead leaf in a hurricane, his body staggered and swayed as he was forced back step by step.

THUD!

Finally, another punch smashed into the man’s chest, sending him stumbling backward until he fell, crashing against the concrete wall at the alley’s exit.

Lu Chao’s eyes were utterly crazed. Not even bothering to check that the man’s eyes had rolled back into his head, he lunged forward and grabbed his face.

He focused all his strength.

He seized the masked man’s head and slammed it violently against the concrete wall.

SPLAT!!

It was like a watermelon bursting open.

Fresh blood splattered everywhere, like ink splashing across his face.