Chapter 585: Don't be afraid, I'm here

And at this moment, in the mine cave.

Lin Yuan's movement technique exploded, and the Silver Needles kept bombarding.

Like a violent rain…… the Silver Needles shot toward the remaining black-clad experts.

Each Silver Needle struck the enemy's vital points with pinpoint accuracy.

Miserable cries rose and fell……

But only a dozen or so breaths later……

Over twenty top martial artists of the Thunder Tiger Sect were all knocked down by Lin Yuan.

Some of the experts lay paralyzed on the ground, wailing……

Or stood stiff and motionless……

The encirclement at the center of the mine cave completely collapsed.

Only a mess littered the ground and a strong smell of blood lingered.

"Damn it!" Lei Chen Zhou saw this, his pupils suddenly constricted, his heart filled with shock and anger.

He had thought…… with these core forces…… he could at least hold Lin Yuan off for a moment.

But he never expected Lin Yuan to be this formidable.

His subordinates couldn't even withstand a single strike.

Seeing Lin Yuan about to break free from the encirclement, Lei Chen Zhou's eyes flashed with a hint of ruthlessness.

Lei Chen Zhou immediately shouted at his remaining subordinates: "All of you, attack!!"

The remaining subordinates could only grit their teeth, pick up weapons, and rush at Lin Yuan.

They attempted to make a final blockade.

Lin Yuan's eyes turned cold, he was about to strike to eliminate these remnant troops.

But not far away, Lei Chen Zhou seized the opening, his form ghostlike as he rushed toward Su Monong on the other side of the mine cave.

"Not good!" Lin Yuan's heart tightened; he had just wanted to pursue, but was tightly entangled by the few subordinates before him.

Lin Yuan was delayed for a moment.

He had originally intended to go rescue Su Monong.

As a result, he was instead dragged into the encirclement.

It was just this brief instant, Lei Chen Zhou had already rushed to Su Monong's front.

Lei Chen Zhou drew the short blade from his waist in one motion and placed it against Su Monong's neck.

The sharp blade pressed tightly against Su Monong's skin, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Lin Yuan! Dare you move again?" Lei Chen Zhou grabbed Su Monong's neck with his arm, using her as a shield, and shouted angrily.

At this moment, Lin Yuan finally stopped his hand.

Lei Chen Zhou's eyes were gloomy and vicious as he stared at Lin Yuan, his tone threatening: "Take another step forward and I'll kill her!"

Su Monong was choked to the point of difficulty breathing.

The stabbing pain at her neck…… made her involuntarily furrow her brows.

But Su Monong still forced herself to endure the fear, shouting urgently at Lin Yuan: "Lin Yuan! Don't worry about me! You hurry and go!"

"Shut up!" Lei Chen Zhou ruthlessly tightened his grip on Su Monong, pressing the short blade closer.

Lei Chen Zhou spoke coldly: "Su Monong, it's not your turn to speak now!"

After saying that, Lei Chen Zhou directly sealed Su Monong's red lips with tape.

Lei Chen Zhou turned his head to look at Lin Yuan, his tone growing more arrogant: "Lin Yuan, if you want her to live, right now immediately throw away all your Silver Needles, kneel before me at once! Obediently surrender, otherwise I will slit her throat right now!"

Su Monong looked at Lin Yuan, her eyes full of worry and urgency.

But at this moment she couldn't speak, Su Monong could only keep shaking her head…… indicating he should not agree.

Lin Yuan coldly stared at him, both sides locked in a stalemate.

Lei Chen Zhou saw Lin Yuan unwilling to kneel, his eyes turned fierce!

The short blade in his hand exerted slight pressure, and bright red blood immediately seeped from Su Monong's neck.

The fresh blood, slowly sliding down the blade.

"Lin Yuan, see if I dare!" Lei Chen Zhou shouted angrily, "I'll count to three; if you don't throw away your Silver Needles and kneel, I'll act! One……

Lin Yuan's eyes suddenly shifted, his originally sharp edge retracting a bit.

In its place was a hint of restrained solemnity.

Lin Yuan slowly raised both hands, palms facing forward.

His voice carried a faint hoarseness barely perceptible: "Don't touch her…… I'll throw them away."

The words fell, Lin Yuan flipped his wrist.

He took out all the Silver Needles hidden in his palm and cuffs, and casually flung them.

"Clatter!" sounded, dozens of Silver Needles as fine as cow hair all fell to the ground.

"You're sensible!" Lei Chen Zhou's eyes grew even more arrogant.

The short blade in Lei Chen Zhou's hand did not loosen in the slightest, still pressing tightly against Su Monong's neck.

Lei Chen Zhou barked: "Just throwing away the Silver Needles isn't enough! Kneel!"

Lin Yuan's shoulders trembled slightly, as if he were making a difficult struggle.

After a moment, Lin Yuan's knees went weak, and he actually began to slowly kneel down……

His posture…… was humble as if submitting.

Su Monong saw this, her beautiful eyes filled with despair and pain, she shook her head desperately.

But she could not make any sound, only able to let tears slide down her cheeks.

But…… just as Lin Yuan's knee…… was about to touch the ground……

An abrupt change occurred!

No one expected that beneath Lin Yuan's tongue…… there was still hidden a final silver needle!

Lin Yuan jerked his head up; the humble forbearance in his eyes…… instantly turned into extreme sharpness!

His tongue tip suddenly exerted force, and the silver needle hidden beneath his tongue…… shot out like an arrow released from a bow!

The silver needle flew straight toward Lei Chen Zhou's face!

At the same time, Lin Yuan's knees, which looked as if they were about to kneel, did not touch the ground……

Instead, Lin Yuan's knees suddenly exerted force!

His legs…… like a spring fully loaded, suddenly sprang upward!

Lin Yuan's stature instantly rose, actually jumping over three meters high!

His sudden rise kicked up a strong wind that blew the ground's scattered stones everywhere!

"Not good!" Lei Chen Zhou's heart rang with alarm; he had just thought to raise his blade to block, but it was already too late.

That silver needle, swift as lightning, accurately struck Lei Chen Zhou's chest's Shan Zhong acupoint!

A numbing sensation instantly spread from the acupoint, sweeping over Lei Chen Zhou's entire body!

Lei Chen Zhou's body suddenly stiffened!

In a short time, Lei Chen Zhou could not move an inch!

Lei Chen Zhou could only maintain the posture of choking Su Monong.

His body was already stiff.

Lei Chen Zhou's eyes were filled with shock and disbelief……

He never expected that Lin Yuan still had a hidden move!

Although this numbness lasted only a few short seconds, it was already enough to change the situation@!

Lin Yuan's body…… traced a smooth arc in midair……

Lin Yuan, like an eagle swooping on a rabbit, brought a fierce wind and landed heavily in front of Lei Chen Zhou!

The next second, Lin Yuan raised his hand without hesitation@!

He precisely gripped Lei Chen Zhou's wrist that was choking Su Monong's neck……

Lin Yuan's fingertips exerted slight force, relieving Lei Chen Zhou's strength.

At the same time, Lin Yuan's other hand quickly grabbed Su Monong's arm.

He took advantage of Lei Chen Zhou's paralyzed body…… the moment he could not resist.

Lin Yuan suddenly grabbed and pulled Su Monong out of his restraints.

Su Monong was pulled out, carrying a downward momentum, and slammed hard into Lin Yuan's chest.

Lin Yuan's arms tightly encircled her.

"Sorry, Director Su, I'm late." Lin Yuan spoke gently, with a strong sense of safety.

Hearing Lin Yuan's voice, Su Monong burst into tears at this moment.

Lin Yuan tore off the tape on her lips.

"Lin Yuan..." Su Monong's voice choked.

The rescued Su Monong had not yet recovered from the ordeal.

Her body uncontrollably trembled slightly, her cheeks streaked with unshed tears.

Su Monong's nose tip…… was entwined with the faint scent of blood on Lin Yuan's body.

But Lin Yuan's breath strangely made her feel at ease.

Lin Yuan sensed the fragility of the person in his arms; his gaze softened instantly, yet he dared not delay even a bit.

He quickly released his embrace and pulled Su Monong behind him in one motion.

Lin Yuan firmly shielded her with his broad back, his tone urgent yet steady: "Director Su, stay behind me!"

Su Monong suppressed her inner panic, obediently nodded and hid behind Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan turned and stepped step by step toward Lei Chen Zhou, who remained in a paralyzed state……

Lin Yuan turned his hand into a claw, aiming straight for Lei Chen Zhou's shoulder vital point!

But just as Lin Yuan's claw was about to touch Lei Chen Zhou……

A flicker of ruthlessness flashed in Lei Chen Zhou's eyes!

The next second, Lei Chen Zhou violently mobilized his thick internal energy, frantically striking at the Shan Zhong acupoint on his chest!

"Ha……!" Lei Chen Zhou let out a loud shout!

Under the surge of his internal energy, the silver needle deeply embedded in his body was actually forced out!

"Ding" the silver needle shot toward Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan simply sidestepped and avoided it.

The numbness instantly vanished; Lei Chen Zhou, ignoring the tearing pain in his chest, exerted force with his feet and shot backward like an arrow released from a bow!

In an instant, Lei Chen Zhou opened a gap of several meters from Lin Yuan!

Lei Chen Zhou staggered to steady his stance, panting heavily!

His chest heaved violently; his gaze toward Lin Yuan was full of panic and hatred.

Lin Yuan's pupils contracted!

This Lei Chen Zhou indeed possesses formidable strength.

My own silver needle sealing the acupoint—only a few seconds—yet Lei Chen Zhou forced it out of his body?

Lin Yuan saw the situation was wrong and grabbed Su Monong, lifting her up.

Given the current situation, Lin Yuan couldn't delay for long; he had to immediately take Su Monong and flee!

All that could be seen was Lin Yuan holding Su Monong, racing toward the mine cave entrance, trying to escape!!

"Where do you think you're going!" Lei Chen Zhou instantly flew into a rage, roaring furiously at the two's backs!

His voice shook the mine cave walls, making them hum.

Lei Chen Zhou barked at his subordinates, "Everyone who can move, get out here! Join forces to surround and intercept them—don't let these two get away!"

Lei Chen Zhou's howl had just faded……

Almost simultaneously, movement stirred in the side passages and hidden corners around the mine cave.

Another five or six armed subordinates rushed out, joining the encircling force.

These people, together with the earlier dozen or so, quickly formed an airtight encirclement, trapping Lin Yuan and Su Monong firmly in the center of the mine tunnel.

At this moment, enemies surrounded Lin Yuan on all sides.

Each enemy stared at Lin Yuan with a fierce gaze.

The bandits' fine steel short blades…… glimmered with a chilling cold light in the dim mine lamp glow.

The air was thick with a strong smell of blood and a suppressed killing intent.

Lei Chen Zhou slowly walked to the front of the encirclement, hands clasped behind his back.

Lei Chen Zhou's chest still rose and fell slightly.

Lei Chen Zhou's eyes were venomous and malicious as he looked at Lin Yuan: "Lin Yuan, where do you think you can run this time?"

Su Monong was shielded behind Lin Yuan.

She felt the dense hostility all around, and her delicate body couldn't help but tremble slightly.

She instinctively shrank back behind Lin Yuan, clutching tightly at the hem of his clothes.

Su Monong lifted her gaze to the broad back before her; though fearful, she felt a bit more reassured by that silhouette.

Lin Yuan could clearly feel Su Monong's trembling behind him.

He slowly raised his hand and gently patted the hand that Su Monong had gripped on his sleeve.

Lin Yuan, in a voice only the two could hear, whispered reassuringly: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."