Chapter 77: The Marksman

Seeing Zhou Yun turn back suddenly, the Gene Thief Chieftain froze in place.

How could it have noticed my ambush during such an intense blade duel with the Scream Assassin?

Bad! It’s hiding its strength! It’s pretending to be weak to lure me in! Run!

Without hesitation, the Gene Thief Chieftain turned and fled the instant Zhou Yun spotted it, putting distance between them.

This left Zhou Yun’s clenched fist feeling awkward.

He had noticed the Gene Thief Chieftain’s ambush

entirely because the blade Dian Guang Wan had been fighting on his behalf, and because Bai Guang’s winged silhouette had warned him as an external brain.

But in reality,

the Gene Thief Chieftain was stronger than him in reaction speed, velocity, and spiritual power.

Yet its gaze toward him

was like that of Mordaiyan witnessing the Emperor’s divine manifestation—stunned, wary, eyes wide with fear.

What is this? The Gene Thief Chieftain is clearly powerful but overly cautious?

Zhou Yun watched the Gene Thief Chieftain keep its distance and felt it would be a waste not to land a hit.

So he gripped the blade Dian Guang Wan in one hand, and in the Gene Thief Chieftain’s shockingly wide eyes, pulled a Cattrell Model M36 laser rifle from his fourth-dimensional pocket.

Logically, this Imperial Guard laser rifle should never have hit the Gene Thief Chieftain,

but Zhou Yun simply felt it would be a waste not to try—and pulled the trigger.

A searing blue laser shot out; the Gene Thief Chieftain’s face flickered with disdain.

Its body instantly blurred into a trail of afterimages, its reaction speed exceeding the limits of physical law.

Then

“Aaaah!!!!”

The Gene Thief Chieftain shrieked as a grotesque burn scar appeared on its abdominal carapace.

What?

Hit it?

Is this real?

Zhou Yun stared blankly at the automatic infantry rifle in his hand.

The Gene Thief Chieftain stared blankly at Zhou Yun, its fear deepening further,

as if he were some monstrous flood or ferocious beast.

Before Zhou Yun could comprehend how he’d somehow blindly hit the Gene Thief Chieftain,

the surrounding Plague Zombies seized the opportunity and lunged at the Gene Thief Chieftain.

The Gene Thief Chieftain swiftly swung its four claws, battling the endless tide of corpses.

These zombies couldn’t truly harm the Gene Thief Chieftain, but they blocked it, preventing it from retreating into shadow again.

Malkiet’s figure appeared among the zombies, raising its triangular sword and driving it deep into its own chest.

Then it twisted the hilt, carving three interlocking arcs into its chest, resembling a giant fly crouched upon it.

“Plague God! Bless us!”

As Malkiet roared, joyful laughter erupted from the pus-filled sores on its body.

Blood and pus flowed onto the triangular sword, hardening like stalactites into layers, forming a grotesque curved blade that shimmered with radiant light.

A faint, pure, joyful laughter echoed from the blade, as if a demon dwelled within.

“The angels are with me.”

Sensing the terrifying aura emanating from Malkiet,

the Gene Thief Chieftain immediately turned to look at the Scream Assassin fighting Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun continued blocking the Scream Assassin’s attacks with the blade Dian Guang Wan,

and he could clearly feel the blade’s power was over half depleted.

Yet strangely,

the Scream Assassin seemed to be running low on power too.

Its movements, as it clashed with Zhou Yun, were imperceptibly slowing.

Swellings occasionally appeared on its thick skin; its eyes showed signs of inflammation.

On its back, the cracked carapace Zhou Yun had inflicted began oozing a pale yellow pus.

It seemed… to be sick.

Noticing the Gene Thief Chieftain’s gaze, the Scream Assassin roared.

Its four blades instantly wrapped in crackling arcs of electricity, striking with full force against Zhou Yun’s blade Dian Guang Wan.

Then it rapidly retreated and in a blink was upon the Gene Thief Chieftain.

Blades like wind, severing the heads of every Plague Zombie around the Gene Thief Chieftain.

Zhou Yun also flashed forward, instantly teleporting beside Malkiet.

“You’ve activated Phase Two?” Zhou Yun asked, eyeing Malkiet’s sudden shift in aura.

“The angels are with me—they guided the power within the curved sword forth,” Malkiet said humbly.

“Oh, so you’re channeling a god—wait no—”

Zhou Yun, hearing the occasional bursts of joyful laughter from Malkiet’s body, twitched his lips:

“You’ve summoned a Nurgle spirit. Can’t your angels find someone more reliable?”

“Ask if any kind-hearted Great Unclean One would lend a hand? Like Khorne or the Rainfather Rotigus?”

“Why does it feel like you know the Father God’s domain better than I do?” Malkiet’s eyebrow twitched.

Zhou Yun smiled.

He was only joking—had the Great Unclean Ones been so easily able to enter the material universe, the Imperium’s worlds would be drowned in feces.

And if the Great Unclean Ones truly arrived, Zhou Yun feared he’d cry like a Chaos Spawn.

The Gene Thief Chieftain stood beside the Scream Assassin, studying Zhou Yun and Malkiet.

It first glanced warily at Malkiet, then turned its gaze to Zhou Yun.

If its look at Malkiet was caution, its look at Zhou Yun carried fear and bewilderment.

Especially with the laser rifle’s burn still throbbing on its abdomen.

With its reaction speed and agility, the Gene Thief Chieftain should never have been struck by an ordinary laser rifle.

And it had clearly dodged, hadn’t it?

Could this man not only wield a blade superbly, but also shoot with such terrifying precision?

The Gene Thief Chieftain’s mind once again drifted toward flight.

If there was even a hint of disadvantage, the Gene Thief Chieftain would turn and run without hesitation.

The Scream Assassin beside it lunged forward, charging at Zhou Yun.

Compared to Zhou Yun, the Gene Thief Chieftain preferred facing the mutant reeking of decay.

Malkiet drew a deep breath, slowly dragging a finger across the curved blade.

Its tattered robes stirred without wind, revealing the horrifying sores, maggots, and tumors beneath.

“With seven plagues we praise the Father of Merciful Life.”

Malkiet cried out, and the curved blade erupted in joyful laughter:

“All things rot! All beings endure!”

The prayer ended; Malkiet leapt, swinging the curved blade at the Gene Thief Chieftain.

Then

The Gene Thief Chieftain spun sharply, lashing out with its tail and striking Malkiet hard.

Malkiet was flung backward.

Chieftain: “.”

Zhou Yun: “.”

Chapter 77! Praise the Father of All Life! All Things Rot! All Beings Endure! Seven Plagues! Seven Diseases! Seven Blessings!

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(End of Chapter)