Chapter 14

“Woo—Zzzzz!” The modified iron horse engine roared like a beast, shattering the dusk’s silence, churning up billowing dust as it charged straight toward Hope Outpost! At the forefront, “Fatty Dog” loomed like a mountain, his chainsaw raised high, teeth spinning wildly with a piercing death shriek! Beneath his helmet, his eyes glowed with cruel, bloodthirsty light, locked unblinkingly on the small hut in the depression and the figure standing ready before it!

“Crush them all!!” Fatty Dog’s roar cut clearly through the engine’s din, thick with savage murderous intent.

“Here they come! Ready!” Lin Mo’s voice cracked with tension; he crouched behind cover, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, as if about to shatter his ribs! He forced himself calm, gripping his poisoned spear, eyes fixed on the two iron horses leading the charge.

Xiang Lingna stood like a cold boulder, crouched motionless behind another cover, her short crossbow steady, the blue-tipped bolts subtly adjusting as Fatty Dog’s iron horse moved. Her breathing seemed to halt; all her spirit and energy focused on that lethal bolt—her eyes saw nothing but the frenzied figure of Fatty Dog! Deep-seated hatred had purged all fear.

Closer! Even closer! The iron horses moved at blistering speed, reaching the edge of the depression in the blink of an eye!

“Boom! Crack!”

The lead iron horse, utterly unprepared, rolled straight onto the first disguised pit trap set by Lingna and Lin Mo! The thin wooden planks shattered instantly; the front wheel plunged deep into the pit! Sharpened metal rods coated in poison stabbed upward, piercing the tire and driving into the chassis!

“Ahh—!” The raider on board screamed as he was flung off by momentum, crashing hard to the ground right before the thorny wall lined with poisoned spikes! He struggled to rise, but the sharp thorns slashed his arms and cheeks; dark green poison seeped in rapidly!

“Ughh!” His pained groan turned into a shrill scream—his wounds swelled and blackened before their eyes, foam bubbled from his mouth, his body convulsed violently!

The second pit trap triggered immediately! Another iron horse plunged in! The same tragedy unfolded!

“Traps! Watch the ground!” The raiders behind cried out in fury and alarm, slamming on their brakes—their charge faltered!

“Useless!” Fatty Dog cursed, yet did not slow! Relying on his heavily modified, higher-ground iron horse, he yanked the throttle hard, driving the roaring machine straight into the thorny wall! He meant to smash through by force!

“Now!” Lin Mo’s eyes flashed cold; with all his strength, he hurled his poisoned spear at a raider who had just stopped his iron horse and was raising his rifle to aim—right behind Fatty Dog’s side!

The heavy spear hissed through the air, tracing an ungainly arc!

“Thwack!” The spear missed vital organs but buried itself deep into the raider’s thigh! The poison injected instantly!

“Ahh! My leg!” The raider screamed, tumbling off his mount, rolling on the ground as his leg rapidly blackened and swelled!

Lin Mo had no time to check his hit—he snatched up his second spear! His attack drew partial fire; bullets whistled past, striking his cover, sending shards of stone flying!

And just as Fatty Dog’s iron horse was about to slam into the thorny wall—

The statue-like Ai Li moved at last!

Her index finger, moving faster than the eye could track, gently squeezed the short crossbow’s trigger!

“Shhh—!!”

This arrow was swift as lightning, silent as the netherworld!

It did not strike Fatty Dog himself, nor the vulnerable wheels. The blue streak pierced with perfect precision into the exposed, thick carburetor intake tube of his iron horse!

“Puff!” The arrow sank deep!

“Boom!!” A muffled explosion! The speeding engine choked as if strangled, spitting out a series of violent coughs and pops! Thick black smoke erupted from the exhaust and carburetor! The spinning chainsaw blades emitted a feeble whine, their speed plummeting!

“Damn it! What the hell?!” Fatty Dog, caught off-guard, lurched violently as his machine lost control! He fought to steer, but the engine failure made the iron horse stagger like a drunkard—until it slammed headfirst into a half-buried concrete ruin, barely two meters from the thorny wall!

“Crash!!” The iron horse overturned! Fatty Dog’s massive body tumbled like a rolling gourd, crashing hard to the ground, kicking up dust! His heavy chainsaw flew from his grip, landing nearby.

Opportunity!

Ai Li’s eyes blazed with killing intent! She exploded from cover like a hunting leopard, moving at top speed, her dagger gleaming with lethal cold light, lunging straight for the dazed, struggling Fatty Dog! Her target: his throat—a single killing blow!

“Protect the boss!” The remaining raiders finally reacted, shocked and enraged! They abandoned firing at Lin Mo, leaping off their iron horses, drawing cleavers and iron clubs, howling as they charged toward Ai Li to block her strike!

A brutal, life-or-death melee erupted instantly outside the thorny wall, centered on Fatty Dog!

Lin Mo saw Ai Li surrounded, his heart in his throat! Ignoring danger, he raised his hunting rifle, aiming at the raider’s back—the one swinging his cleaver at Ai Li, his back turned!

“Boom!!” The hunting rifle roared again!

A spray of iron shot erupted! The raider’s back exploded open—he screamed and collapsed!

The thunderous shot drew more fire! Another raider, eyes red with rage, swung his rifle toward Lin Mo!

“Watch out!” Lingna’s terrified scream came from the hut!

Lin Mo had no time to reload—he dove hard behind cover!

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Bullets whizzed past his scalp, striking the cover, sparks flying!

Meanwhile, Ai Li, surrounded by multiple raiders, moved like a butterfly through flowers—her form impossibly agile! Every slash of her dagger drew a spray of blood! One raider’s wrist was severed, his weapon falling; another’s calf was sliced deep to the bone—he screamed and collapsed!

But Fatty Dog had already staggered to his feet! Though battered, his thick hide spared him serious injury. He shook his dazed head, his eyes locking onto Ai Li fighting in the crowd—the face beneath his helmet twisted into a grotesque, almost… excited grin?

“It’s you! The silver-haired little wildcat!” Fatty Dog’s voice rasped like sandpaper, dripping with cruel mockery, “Didn’t think you’d still be alive! And you’ve gotten stronger! Perfect—I’ll collect every last bit of interest today!” He bent, snatched up his fallen chainsaw, and yanked the starter cord hard!

“Woo—Zzzzz!” The chilling death shriek rang out again! Teeth spun wildly! Fatty Dog charged like a mad rhino, swinging his chainsaw at Ai Li, now pinned by his men! The blade tore through the air with a terrifying scream!

Ai Li had just parried a cleaver—sudden wind struck her nape! The chainsaw’s destructive force could not be blocked by a dagger!

No escape!

Lin Mo’s eyes bulged! Lingna screamed in despair!

At this critical moment—

“Puff! Puff! Puff!”

Three faint, seed-popping sounds suddenly emerged from the broken bowl guarded by Lingna!

Instantly, the two black seedlings with purple veins, which had grown quietly until now, burst open their tender leaves! A faint, pale purple mist—strangely fragrant—spread like a living thing, engulfing nearly half the hut’s entrance!

The mist spread rapidly, though narrowly—just enough to cover Ai Li, about to be cleaved by the chainsaw, and the several raiders tangled around her!

Strange things happened!

The moment the pale purple mist touched them, the raiders surrounding Ai Li froze rigid! Their eyes turned blank, vacant—as if paused mid-action! Even Fatty Dog, charging like a tank with his chainsaw, stumbled to a halt! The chainsaw’s roar dimmed slightly. Beneath his helmet, his eyes flickered with a momentary daze!

This sudden turn gave Ai Li a sliver of life!

Her reaction was instantaneous! At the very instant the chainsaw neared her back, her body twisted sideways like boneless silk! The spinning blades, searing hot, grazed the edge of her cloak, tearing a long gash!

Simultaneously, her dagger struck like a venomous snake’s tongue—precisely slicing through the throat of a raider now frozen in daze!

“Ssshh!” Blood sprayed!

“Uhh…” The raider clutched his gushing throat, his vacant eyes instantly filled with mortal terror as he collapsed.

The deadly threat was momentarily lifted—but greater confusion and shock struck everyone present! What… was that pale purple mist?!