Chen Chuan’s attacks were simple and clean. He used the most basic, direct methods, pursuing speed and power without any fancy techniques.

Luo Qi abandoned a direct confrontation, choosing to change his move at the last second, and immediately found himself at a disadvantage. He watched the approaching glint of the blade as every muscle in his body strained, twisting and retreating bit by bit. He struggled to bring his Long Sword, which had been nearly batted aside, back into position to parry Chen Chuan’s attack.

In this kind of exchange, it was the worst possible situation. His opponent could always strike a step ahead, forcing him to reactively parry. He was becoming more and more passive. With every move, his opponent gained more of an advantage. A fight like this was often decided in just two or three exchanges.

Chen Chuan simply followed the momentum, swiftly channeling Power into his blade. With a flick of his wrist, he delivered two more slashes. Though both were blocked, the strength behind the opposing sword dwindled, each parry growing feebler than the last.

When the fourth slash came, it should have hit its mark. However, Luo Qi had at least managed to maintain his center of gravity. If he could avoid a vital spot, he might be wounded but not killed.

But just as his blade was about to strike Luo Qi, something unexpected happened. At the last possible moment, Luo Qi’s body suddenly flickered and reappeared several meters away. The tip of Chen Chuan’s blade met only empty air.

Missing the strike felt like all his Power had lost its anchor. It should have thrown his center of gravity forward, creating a major opening. But his excellent coordination, along with the Mutated Organization spread throughout his body, allowed him to forcibly retract the force. Nevertheless, his previously fluid assault was unavoidably halted.

Further away, Old Feng had been watching from the rear ever since Chen Chuan approached. He saw the two men exchange a few words before drawing their Weapons. Then, in a blur, both of them vanished. Immediately after, he heard the clang of blade on sword, the sounds coming so fast they merged into a single, continuous ring.

Where the two had just stood, the concrete ground cracked apart. Clumps of dirt and dust burst into the air, swirling and tangling.

Then, just an instant later, the two figures reappeared.

But they were no longer in their original positions. The high-speed movement had pressed their clothes tightly against their bodies, and it took a moment for the fabric to settle naturally. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Chen Chuan looked ahead. He hadn’t been able to clearly see Luo Qi’s sudden movement. That kind of Emitting Force was definitely not what the intel had shown. It was likely not an innate ability, but the effect of some kind of Implant.

Luo Qi was also staring intently at Chen Chuan. He had been cautious with his Implant modifications, having only installed modified tendons in his lower back and legs, and they were highly compatible with his own Mutated Organization.

The effect was obvious. As he had just demonstrated, it allowed him to boost his speed even further.

However, activating it repeatedly in a short time placed an immense strain on his body. It was impossible to use it continuously. Moreover, his own reflexes and coordination couldn’t keep up with such rapid, successive movements. Therefore, as he had just shown, it could only be used for surprise attacks and evasions.

In that brief exchange, he had already used it twice in succession, and he could feel a faint throbbing in his muscles.

He twirled the Long Sword in his hand, his mind racing. ’I originally planned to finish Chen Chuan right away,’ he thought, ’but it seems he fights without any fear of death. He might have been brainwashed by the General Affairs Bureau.’

’I need to stay alive to enjoy the good life; I have no desire to die here with him. In that case, I’ll have to stall for time.’

’I can either wait for his drug to wear off or hold out until the person I’m supposed to meet arrives. Either works. I have something they desperately want. They won’t abandon me.’

One glance at the shift in Luo Qi’s center of gravity and Sword Stance was all it took for Chen Chuan to see he was planning to stall.

’The fact that he can create distance at any moment really puts me to the test,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’It means that even if I find the perfect opening, he can dodge at the last second. He can’t lose. And as the fight drags on and his condition recovers, killing him will only get harder.’

’In that case, I can’t afford to drag this out either. I have to cast aside all hesitation and end this quickly.’

He raised a hand, grabbed the protective mask on his face, and tossed it aside. Simultaneously, his internal and external breathing synchronized as he activated the Furnace Breathing Method.

It had only been a few days since he defeated Tan Wang, so he hadn’t stored much of his own Energy. He would primarily be consuming the immense medicinal power from the drug he had taken earlier and accumulated in his body.

He had taken a dose potent enough to kill an ordinary Fighter. His Second Self had been in an ethereal state from the start, and now, through his Breathing Technique, he unleashed all of that stored power at once!

In an instant, his breath became scalding hot. Wisps of white steam rose from his black trench coat. He slowly raised his Long Blade and pointed it forward.

’I’ve already tested it,’ he thought. ’There’s no fundamental difference between Tan Wang and Luo Qi. Once my speed increases, if Tan Wang couldn’t keep up, neither can Luo Qi.’

Seeing that Chen Chuan was about to attack again, Luo Qi instantly went on high alert. But then his vision blurred, and he realized Chen Chuan had vanished from sight.

He was stunned. Before his mind could even process it, his body instinctively moved to create distance. It was the right move under the circumstances, but without being able to track the enemy’s attack or approach, it was merely a temporary reprieve.

Chen Chuan suddenly appeared before him. In that burst of speed, his short scarf tore loose and flew back. The Long Blade, held behind him, was carried forward by his momentum, carving a great arc of power and grace as it slashed down at Luo Qi!

Luo Qi’s pupils dilated. Relying on experience and instinct, he raised his Long Sword to parry, using his skill to deflect the Power from the blade while retreating with his modified tendons.

But no matter how he retreated, Chen Chuan always caught up in the next instant. Being even a fraction faster provided an immense advantage in combat. Furthermore, because of the convergence with his Second Self, he could fully adapt to his current speed, allowing him to flawlessly drive and coordinate his every move.

This completely exposed the weakness of Luo Qi’s Implants, which only allowed for short bursts of movement. He could only rely on muscle memory to parry, retreating in a pathetic state.

He didn’t have to think to know Chen Chuan must have used some method to unlock his latent potential. Though Luo Qi could do the same, it required preparation and couldn’t be activated instantly.

’Damn these lunatics brainwashed by the General Affairs Bureau,’ he cursed inwardly. ’How much money could you possibly make fighting this desperately? What’s the point if you die in the process?’

In this life-or-death situation, he had no choice but to protect himself. He was an experienced man, after all, and immediately devised a counter-plan. He couldn’t keep defending like this forever. ’Since I can’t avoid being cut,’ he reasoned, ’I can at least try to control the damage and keep it within an acceptable limit. I might even get a few chances to counterattack.’

Once Chen Chuan entered this state, he thought of nothing else, focusing solely on the target before him. As his advantage mounted, he found an opening after just five or six slashes—or rather, an opening Luo Qi had deliberately presented.

’If I let this pass, I’ll have to find another opportunity later.’

But he didn’t hesitate.

He thrust his blade straight through Luo Qi’s left abdomen. Propelled by the Sword Force, it passed through the outer uniform, the Protective Clothing beneath, and even the Mutated Tendons and Ligaments as if they were nothing more than thin paper.

Luo Qi was prepared. The blade hadn’t damaged any vital organs. The wound wasn’t nearly enough to be fatal. In fact, thanks to his Mutated internal organs, it barely even qualified as a serious injury. His combat strength remained completely intact. He grabbed the blade to keep the wound from widening while simultaneously swinging his sword at Chen Chuan.

Just then, Chen Chuan did something unexpected. He abandoned his blade and surged forward, slamming his body into Luo Qi. The violent impact sent Luo Qi staggering back, trying to regain his footing. But when he stepped back, his foot found only empty air. With a jolt, he realized his constant retreat had brought him to the edge of the river.

Unable to check their momentum, both men plunged into the river. They were both tall and laden with gear, so they immediately began to sink.

The moment he hit the water, Chen Chuan naturally switched to internal breathing. With an agile twist, he moved behind Luo Qi and clamped an arm around his neck.

Luo Qi was horrified. A Fighter was no ordinary person. A single burst of Power from an arm was enough to crush a man’s neck; there was no need to squeeze with all their might.

He frantically threw up a hand to keep the crushing force of the arm off his relatively fragile neck. At the same time, he struggled desperately, trying to break free from Chen Chuan’s hold, completely ignoring the blade still buried in his abdomen.

But underwater, there was no leverage. Worse, every time he exerted strength, Chen Chuan would simply sway, effortlessly redirecting the force and twisting Luo Qi’s movements out of shape.

The most difficult part was that he lacked Chen Chuan’s internal breathing ability. He could only hold his breath. But without any oxygen intake, this continuous Emitting of Force became an immense strain.

Chen Chuan had trained in water for a month. He was perfectly adapted to this environment, knowing how to Emit Force and how to use the currents to his advantage.

This was, in effect, his home turf.

He wasn’t concerned by Luo Qi’s struggles in the slightest. He let him waste his strength. All Chen Chuan had to do was make a slightly threatening gesture, and Luo Qi would be forced to react with extreme caution.

Under these conditions, Luo Qi quickly ran out of steam. Before long, his movements became weak and feeble. Seizing the opportunity, Chen Chuan tightened his grip around the man’s neck. With a gentle squeeze, he felt something in the crook of his arm crack.

On the riverbank, Old Feng came running. He had seen a sudden splash, after which all movement on the bank ceased. Realizing they had both fallen in, he drew his pistol and rushed to the edge of the pier, aiming down at the water. But the churning ripples quickly subsided.

After staring for a moment, he suddenly sensed something and turned to look to the side. A hand broke the surface and grabbed hold of an iron ladder on the riverbank. Chen Chuan’s form emerged, and he started to climb out. The water on his body vaporized against his scalding skin, sending wisps of white steam rising into the air.

His other hand gripped Luo Qi by the collar. The man’s head lolled limply, his limbs hanging uselessly. He showed no signs of life.

Seeing this, Old Feng let out a huge sigh of relief. A smile spread across his face as he jogged over, grabbed Chen Chuan’s arm, and helped him onto the bank.

Once Chen Chuan was fully on the bank, Old Feng looked at Luo Qi’s lifeless body. Even though he had known Chen Chuan could handle him, seeing Luo Qi actually dead like this still felt a little unreal.

Chen Chuan stepped forward and pulled the Snow Monarch Blade from the body. He gave it a flick and asked, "Supervisor, do we need to take the body back?"

Old Feng holstered his pistol. "It’s best if we do," he said. "Old Cao might have a use for it. And we can’t forget those documents. Let’s take everything with us."

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