Chapter 96

“Roar~”

A brown shadow, like a phantom, dashed into the hotpot restaurant in the blink of an eye.

Lin Zhen widened his eyes, shoved Fang Huiyi away with all his strength, and thrust the fire axe firmly in front of his chest.

“Boom!!”

A powerful force slammed into his body; searing pain shot through his back as he crashed into the wall, dust exploding upward and the wall cracking like a spiderweb.

“Ahh!!”

“Roar~”

A foul stench hit his face—he looked closely and saw the beast’s sharp fangs clamped onto his left prosthetic limb; tearing pain surged from the joint.

It was a canine calamity beast—Maochi Dog—its entire body a muddy brown, with the powerful build of a Tibetan mastiff.

It had a streamlined frame and dozens of razor-sharp teeth capable of biting through steel.

Its speed and strength were perfectly balanced, unlike the clumsy Iron Spine Wild Boar.

If it launched a surprise attack, ordinary martial artists could not resist.

In an instant, Lin Zhen’s eyes turned red.

His left arm had once been bitten off by a Maochi Dog—he never imagined it would happen again today.

“Die!”

Lin Zhen wrenched free the prosthetic, poured all his strength into his right arm, and brought the fire axe down like a mountain collapsing onto the Maochi Dog’s neck.

“Puff~”

The fire axe severed the Maochi Dog’s head clean off; blood spurted violently across Lin Zhen’s face.

“Huff~”

Lin Zhen collapsed onto the floor, exhausted, and smiled at Fang Huiyi as she struggled to rise nearby.

“Ah Zhen, you scared me to death!”

Fang Huiyi got up and moved to go to him.

“It’s okay!” Lin Zhen comforted Fang Huiyi.

But in the next instant, a massive black shadow engulfed half of Fang Huiyi’s body.

Lin Zhen’s face turned pale; his heart leapt into his throat.

“Huiyi, run!!”

Lin Zhen screamed with all his remaining strength.

He saw it—a Iron Spine Wild Boar, its tiny red eyes fixed on Fang Huiyi with a cruel grin.

“Boom!!”

The Iron Spine Wild Boar stomped its thick hooves and charged forward, kicking up clouds of dust.

Its curved tusks gleamed with cold light.

If it struck, even a first-rank martial artist’s internal organs would shatter—no chance of survival.

How much less could frail Fang Huiyi survive? She was already on the brink of death.

Fang Huiyi turned her head and stared in terror as the Iron Spine Wild Boar charged toward her.

An endless tide of killing intent enveloped her—no escape, not even with wings.

She tried to run, but her body froze in paralyzing fear.

Others in the kitchen lowered their heads, unable to watch.

Fang Huiyi stared blankly—was this how she would die?

What a waste?!

She thought of Lin Qi.

At the same moment, on the street, a blood-splattered man wielding a black-and-red great spear heard Lin Zhen shout “Huiyi.”

He spun his head toward the sound.

Then he saw the scene that shattered his soul.

The Iron Spine Wild Boar was charging straight at his mother—if it hit, she would die without doubt.

And he was still twenty to thirty meters away.

“You’re dead!”

Lin Qi roared, deafeningly loud; his eyes bulged, bloodshot with rage.

He was furious!!

Fire blazed in his chest, consuming his entire body, unleashing every ounce of his strength.

His three innate talents—Stomach Enhancement, Dragon’s Vigor, Tiger’s Might, and Steel Bones—exploded simultaneously.

Endless power surged from his body like a volcanic eruption, molten lava bursting forth.

He gripped his Lei Jiao Great Spear, muscles bulging, tendons coiled like steel cables, blood racing wildly.

Lin Qi lunged forward, his arm snapping out, hurling the spear with all his might.

The “Dripping Spear Technique”—Third Kill: Lightning Flash!

“Ssshh~”

The great spear vanished instantly, piercing the air, becoming a blurred streak—like a swallow darting across the sky.

At the very moment the Iron Spine Wild Boar was about to collide, at the last possible second, a flash of cold light appeared, killing intent surging.

The razor-sharp spear tip pierced straight through the Iron Spine Wild Boar’s skull at supersonic speed!

“Huhhh~”

The Iron Spine Wild Boar let out a shrill, dying scream, collapsing violently to its left; blood poured endlessly from its severed head.

Its limbs twitched for several seconds, then fell still.

Fang Huiyi closed her eyes, resigned to death.

Only when she heard the Iron Spine Wild Boar’s scream—and realized she was unharmed—did she open her eyes again.

Before her, a black great spear pierced through the boar’s skull; a figure rushed toward her from afar.

It was a blood-drenched figure, descending like a god of slaughter—towering, eyes blazing red. “Mom, are you okay?”

Xiao Qi!!

Fang Huiyi’s pale face finally broke into a smile; her eyes instantly filled with tears.

“I’m here!”

Lin Qi helped Fang Huiyi to her feet.

He then turned to his father, Lin Zhen, and rushed to lift him up.

“Xiao Qi, you’re here!”

“I never thought… in the end, I’d have to rely on you to save us,” Lin Zhen whispered weakly.

That spear throw had been breathtaking—he never imagined it came from his own son.

He silently calculated—he could never have done that himself.

“Don’t talk like that. Are you alright, Dad?”

!

Lin Qi stared at Lin Zhen’s bleeding left arm and the shattered prosthetic lying on the ground.

“Feels like my bones are cracked!”

Lin Zhen gritted his teeth and struggled to stand.

Lin Qi frowned—his father was too injured to move.

His mind raced; he made an instant decision: “Then we won’t leave. We stay inside the hotpot restaurant.”

“We just hold out until rescue arrives!”

“A few minutes is enough!”

“That’s right!” Lin Zhen nodded.

“The city has a satellite defense system with real-time monitoring—when a spatial gate appears, they’ll know instantly.”

“With the martial artists from the Three Martial Academies, they’ll arrive in the shortest possible time.”

Lin Qi nodded.

“Dad, Mom, get into the kitchen and hide.”

Lin Qi carried his father into the kitchen, where several others were already taking shelter.

Two children trembled violently, quietly sobbing.

They looked at him with fear—and desperate hope.

“Big brother… will we make it out alive?”

A little girl, her face smudged with dust and eyes red from crying, stepped forward timidly.

Lin Qi stroked her head and smiled.

“As long as I’m here, everyone will live.”

“Mm!!” The girl nodded seriously; for some reason, this big brother gave her immense safety.

…

Outside the kitchen

“Xiao Qi, can you handle this alone? You’re still only a first-rank martial artist!” Lin Zhen asked anxiously.

Lin Qi picked up the great spear embedded in the Iron Spine Wild Boar and said calmly:

“Dad, a Level One Martial Artist? I’m not one anymore!”

“Puff!”

With a burst of immense strength, he pulled the black spear free from the Iron-Spined Wild Boar.

“Level Two Martial Artist?!” Lin Zhen and Fang Huiyi exchanged a glance, both stunned.

How strong was his son’s talent? Had he really broken through to Level Two so fast?

Lin Qi shook off the blood and moved to the entrance to observe.

“Hah hah~”

From afar came the roar of calamity beasts, the clash of colliding objects, and the clashing of weapons…

Most distressing were the screams and cries of people.

The once-bustling Wanda Plaza had plunged into utter chaos.

“Aowu~”

A brown shadow launched a surprise attack from a corner behind him; Lin Qi’s gaze sharpened, and he twisted his waist, gripping the spear tightly.

He spun sharply, thrusting his arm forward—the spear shot straight as a line, piercing in an instant.

Basic Spear Technique—Backstabbing Spear!

“Puff~”

The sharp spear pierced forward, glinting with cold light, striking precisely as the opponent opened its mouth.

The spear pierced through its throat, tearing through flesh and crushing everything within!

Blood sprayed wildly; Lin Qi coldly swung the spear, sending the Ao-Chi Tiger flying like a sack of sand.

His expression remained blank; as a Level Two Martial Artist far beyond ordinary humans, a Level One Calamity Beast could not pressure him.

Moreover, facing non-human creatures—Calamity Beasts—he could unleash even greater power.

When he first killed the Iron-Spined Wild Boar, he had already realized Calamity Beasts weren’t as terrifying as feared.

“Brother Qi!”

“Brother Lin Qi!!”

Suddenly, a voice reached his ears.

Lin Qi turned his head and saw two battered figures appear in his line of sight.

“Taozi, Amiao!”

……

(End of Chapter)