Chapter 623: Mysterious Black Shadow!

The stairwell of the residential building was narrow and gloomy……

Footsteps echoed urgently in the empty corridor.

Lin Yuan's figure was like lightning, stepping on the stairs he rushed upward at flying speed……

The wound on his shoulder was torn by the violent motion, a piercing pain drilling into his heart.

Lin Yuan, however, paid no heed; his eyes were sharp as an eagle's, locked onto the rooftop direction.

Just as Lin Yuan rushed to the top-floor stairwell entrance, Hei Lang's gunfire suddenly erupted!

"Bang! Bang! Bang——!"

The sniper bullet skimmed along the wall, forming a deadly blockade in the narrow corridor!

Lin Yuan's movement technique flashed violently, his footwork unpredictable—sometimes pressing sideways against the wall, sometimes leaping upward!

With each dodge, Lin Yuan precisely avoided the bullets; the wall was struck, sending stone fragments flying and filling the air with dust.

While dodging, Lin Yuan flicked out silver needles from his fingertips in succession!

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Clear metallic clangs rang out continuously!

Lin Yuan used the silver needles to forcibly deflect the incoming sniper bullets!

Though small, the silver needles bore immense force; each impact…… shifted the bullet's trajectory, embedding it deep into the corridor wall, trembling incessantly!

In the blink of an eye, Lin Yuan broke through the fire blockade!

Lin Yuan has already rushed up!

Seeing this, Hei Lang's pupils contracted sharply; he had no time to pull the sniper rifle trigger again, so he gritted his teeth and swung a military dagger, stabbing fiercely at Lin Yuan's chest, the blade bearing a fierce cold wind, utterly ruthless.

Lin Yuan sidestepped the dagger, turned his wrist, and several silver needles shot straight at Hei Lang's face!

Hei Lang hastily leaned back to dodge; the silver needles grazed his cheek, drawing a line of blood.

Before he could steady his stance, Lin Yuan had already closed in!

Lin Yuan's fist, wrapped in a gust of wind, blasted toward Hei Lang's chest.

Hei Lang's face changed dramatically; he hastily raised his arm to block!

Hei Lang's face changed dramatically; he hastily raised his arm to block~!

"Thud!"

With a muffled bang, Lin Yuan's punch—its violent force…… surged violently into his arm!

Hei Lang felt a 'crack!' from the breaking of his arm bones.

Intense pain instantly swept through his whole body!

Hei Lang's arm could no longer support itself, going limp. At the same time, his chest felt a heavy crushing sensation; several ribs broke with a sharp pain that made his vision go dark!

Hei Lang's whole body was shaken, stumbling backward; he staggered, half-kneeling on the ground clutching his chest, blood pouring from his mouth.

"My bones……" Hei Lang lowered his head to look at his dangling arms, then touched his agonizing chest; his pupils filled with utter terror and disbelief.

He had fought across battlefields for years, yet never had he been severely injured by a single punch!

But the strength of this 'Yanxia sick husband' before him was terrifying to this extent!

Fear completely overwhelmed his rage; Hei Lang no longer had the courage to fight……

At this moment, Hei Lang only wanted to flee as quickly as possible from this demon-like man.

Hei Lang struggled to his feet, ignoring the pain all over his body, turned and sprinted toward the escape passage on the other side of the rooftop……

Hei Lang's steps were unsteady, yet he exerted all his strength trying to flee.

"You can't escape." Lin Yuan said in an icy voice.

Lin Yuan raised his hand; dozens of silver needles…… shot out like a violent rain!

The silver needles' angles were extremely tricky, precisely striking vital points all over Hei Lang's body.

"Puff puff puff puff……!" Indeed, the silver needles all pierced through Hei Lang's body!

Hei Lang had just taken two steps when his body instantly froze!

Hei Lang's limbs…… were as if nailed to the spot, unable to move!

Even his mouth…… was sealed.

Hei Lang could only emit a hoarse 'huh-huh'.

Hei Lang's eyes widened, full of fear and unwillingness.

He could clearly feel his qi and blood congealing throughout his body…… even breathing became difficult……

His muscles spasmed uncontrollably, yet he couldn't move a single finger.

Hei Lang's body remained frozen, his voice trembling with terror: "What… what did you do to me? Yanxia sick husband! Why can't I move my body?!"

He had roamed the mercenary world for years, having seen blades, swords, and deadly poison traps…… yet never encountered such a bizarre situation; his meridians felt as if frozen, unable to muster even a shred of strength.

Lin Yuan stepped forward slowly, looking down at his twisted face from above.

Lin Yuan's tone was flat, yet carried a bone-chilling cold: "Nothing much, I merely sealed your acupoints."

As his words fell, Lin Yuan's gaze turned sharply cold, he said icily: "Also, who did you just call a sick husband?"

Before Hei Lang could react, Lin Yuan twisted another silver needle between his fingertips and precisely inserted it into another acupoint on Hei Lang's neck.

Hei Lang's whole body jerked violently; he instantly felt as if billions of ants were frenziedly gnawing along his meridians!

Excruciating pain surged from his limbs and bones!

Many times worse than a broken bone!

Hei Lang could no longer endure; he opened his mouth and let out a shrill wail, his face instantly turning bluish-purple.

In a moment, blood seeped from his seven orifices, his body convulsing uncontrollably!

That pain worse than death caused Hei Lang to completely collapse!

Hei Lang's voice hoarse, begging for mercy: "Yes... sorry, I was wrong... I'm the sick one! I'm trash! Please spare me!"

Hei Lang's heart is now full of fear, long since lost any trace of the mercenary leader's arrogance.

Hei Lang has roamed the mercenary world for decades, endured countless life-and-death battles... yet never seen such a bizarre and cruel method...

Silver Needle, while it can seal acupoints to subdue foes, can actually bring such heart-piercing bone-aching torment,?!

This is more terrifying than any torture!!

Hei Lang looked at Lin Yuan... at this moment, Hei Lang's eyes held only shock, fear!

This Yanxia man before me is simply a demon!

Lin Yuan raised his hand and pulled out that silver needle...

Hei Lang's pain eased slightly, yet his whole body went limp, gasping heavily, cold sweat soaking his camouflage uniform.

"Speak, who sent you to kill me?" Lin Yuan asked coldly.

Lin Yuan's fingertips had already readied another silver needle, the needle tip gleaming with a cold light.

Obviously, as long as Hei Lang dares to conceal, he will immediately face another torture.

Hei Lang's eyes flickered, subconsciously wanting to conceal...

The Qian Shi Group's reward was generous, he still harbored a sliver of hope.

Seeing Hei Lang hesitate, Lin Yuan wasted no words, raising his fingertip slightly, the silver needle pierced into Hei Lang's body...

"Ugh ah!!" Hei Lang let out another heart-rending scream!!

Hei Lang was terrified out of his wits, hurriedly howling for mercy!

"I speak! I speak! It's Qian Renhao of the Qian Shi Group! He paid a hundred million to have me bring people to kill you! He also said he'd send your corpse to her to prove our strength!"

Hei Lang spoke at breakneck speed, trembling as he reported!

Hei Lang feared that even a second's delay would bring another torture...

At this moment, Hei Lang's eyes were filled with utter fear.

Upon hearing the three words "Qian Renhao", Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.

The chill around Lin Yuan... instantly grew a bit stronger.

Sure enough, it's the Qian Shi Group, sure enough, it's Qian Renhao!

Earlier, when Lei Chen Zhou confessed that the Qian Shi Group colluded with the Lei Hu Sect, he had anticipated the other side would resort to desperate measures...

But Lin Yuan never imagined that Qian Renhao would actually spend a hundred million to hire the Black Wolf Mercenary Group to act.

Seeing Lin Yuan silent, Hei Lang thought the other side had been moved.

Hei Lang hurriedly begged: "Big brother! I know I was wrong! I shouldn't have helped Qian Renhao kill you! That hundred million I haven't touched a cent, I'll give it all to you! Please spare me, I'll never dare set foot in Yanxia again!"

While pleading for mercy, Hei Lang secretly gritted his teeth and gathered strength...

Relying on the ruthlessness honed over years of mercenary life, he actually... forced out several silver needles from key acupoints in his body.

Although Hei Lang's body was still somewhat stiff, he could barely move.

Seeing Lin Yuan show no reaction, Hei Lang thought the other side had been swayed by the reward, and his heart hardened.

Hei Lang suddenly pulled a grenade from his waist and hurled it hard at Lin Yuan!

Hei Lang staggered, turned, and fled madly toward the stairwell entrance, shouting hoarsely: "Die, Yanxia man!"

The grenade traced an arc in the air, flying toward Lin Yuan's chest.

Lin Yuan's expression unchanged, his steps unmoving. He simply reached out... precisely catching the grenade, a slight exertion of his fingertips steadied his stance.

Immediately, Lin Yuan directly backhanded... threw the grenade back. The whole motion was smooth and swift, leaving only an afterimage.

Hei Lang had just reached the stairwell entrance, hadn't yet managed to push open the iron door, when a grenade flying from behind smashed hard into the back of his head.

"Bang!" a muffled sound, Hei Lang's vision went black, his whole body collapsed heavily to the ground!

His forehead struck the steps... blood poured forth.

When Hei Lang struggled to lift his head, seeing the grenade roll to his hand, his pupils dilated!

Hei Lang's face filled with horror and despair, he let out a desperate howl: "No——!!"

But the next second!

"Boom——!!"

A thunderous roar, the grenade exploded instantly!

Scorching air waves... sweeping up gravel and metal fragments, engulfing the entire rooftop!

Flames shot skyward, thick smoke billowed!

Hei Lang didn't even have time to utter a scream before being completely consumed by the blast's power, blown to bits leaving no remains, only a bloody mess and fragments.

Lin Yuan had already leapt in advance to the load-bearing column at the edge of the rooftop, avoiding the blast's core radius.

Lin Yuan raised his hand to wipe away the smoke and blood on his face, his gaze piercing the smoke toward the stairwell entrance.

Lin Yuan's eyes showed no ripple, as if the earlier explosion and slaughter were merely trivial matters.

After a moment, the thick smoke gradually dissipated, leaving only a scorched scent and scattered debris on the rooftop.

Lin Yuan walked out slowly, his gaze sweeping the scene, confirming Hei Lang was completely dead, leaving no living witnesses or clues.

But just then, in the shadowy corner beneath the stairs... a black shadow flickered like a ghost, moving at astonishing speed, leaving only a blurred afterimage.

Lin Yuan's pupils contracted sharply, his alertness instantly maxed out: "Who?!"

Lin Yuan shouted!

But that black shadow had already vanished!

Lin Yuan never expected that besides the Black Wolf Mercenary Group, there were others lurking here!

Obviously, the other side had been secretly observing for a long time.

No time to think, Lin Yuan leapt, his body like an arrow released from a bow... surging downward toward the fire escape stairwell entrance!

Lin Yuan pursued all the way! His movement technique burst forth in flashes, his speed pushed to the extreme!

The stairwell was narrow and dim; that black shadow ahead fled madly, its steps light and agile!

Lin Yuan quickly caught up to that black rock!

That black rock… actually kept leaping and maneuvering between the steep stairwell walls and railings, like a gecko walking on a wall, fully displaying the marvel of Feiyan Zubie!

Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed, his heart startled…… This is…… ancient martial light skill?

To have trained one's light skill to such a degree, that black shadow…… is certainly no ordinary person!

The opponent is obviously also an ancient martial expert!

Lin Yuan originally thought that settling with Hei Lang would be the end of it……

But he hadn't expected that it would also draw out a hidden ancient martial force, and the situation instantly became even more complicated.

During the pursuit, Lin Yuan's fingertips were already loaded with Silver Needles……

Seizing the moment when the distance between them closed, Lin Yuan jerked his wrist upward!

Several Silver Needles shot out with a piercing whistle, aiming at the black shadow's vital spots like the back of the heart and knees, trying to force the opponent to stop.

"Clang clang clang!" Clear metallic collision sounds rang out one after another!

Hearing the sound, the black shadow shifted sideways; a short dagger had somehow appeared in its hand, and with a flick of the wrist it actually precisely knocked down all the Silver Needles?

The sparks from the dagger and Silver Needles colliding…… vanished in an instant in the dim stairwell.

Lin Yuan secretly thought: Indeed an ancient martial expert, with reactions and movements this swift?!