Chapter 435: No-Wind Waves (7)

Luo Qi left the underground hall. Several Mages cast their gazes toward him, their Yajian radiating friendly intentions to strike up a conversation. If he had looked back and met their eyes, they could have chatted for a while; it seemed he had suddenly gained quite a few friends. Perhaps the Qionglin Investigation Team had truly declared him safe, and those Mages with big hearts had developed curiosity about him. But honestly, the number of them was a bit overwhelming, Luo Qi thought resentfully. Perhaps it was because they all already knew Du Zhengyi had left, and above the head of a small fry like him, an LED lightbox had been erected, flashing the words "weak and easy to bully," and they all wanted to tease him.

He did not stop, returning to the surface hall at a leisurely pace, back among the fluttering red curtains. He walked through the hall as if strolling, walking slower and slower until he stopped, lifted his head, and took a deep breath of the air fragrant with plants.

This feeling was just not right; it was not at all the influence the Induction Crystal had on him. He was starting to understand now that it was much easier for him to perceive people than objects. Malice surrounded him like static electricity, crackling and scratching at the periphery of his nerves.

Luo Qi suddenly turned around and started running fast. He roughly pulled aside those curtains, squeezed through several empty ones, and headed straight for the Teleportation Point.

The moment he emerged from the teleportation state, he was hit in the face by a stifling heat, and sweat broke out on his forehead. A suffocating wind blew from the back of the Dune, carrying hot air filled with sand grains that stuck evenly to his face.

"Fuck," Luo Qi cursed.

But the moment his feet finally landed firmly on the real ground and sank slightly into the sandy soil, he took off running. He charged up the Dune as if chased by a mad dog, sat down on the sand, and slid down the slope on the other side, landing precisely in the middle of a pile of cacti.

He cursed again, and without time to pull the thorns out of his pants, he charged headlong into the cactus patch. His cat, Luo Ruiqi, seemed to have been jolted, rushing out of his pocket and letting out a shrill howl.

"I know, I know," Luo Qi muttered to his cat, running desperately into the heart of the cactus plants.

The airflow behind him showed a disturbance; he knew it, and his spine knew it too. He bit his lip. He could crush many people's brains, he could change their thoughts, he could control others' likes and dislikes, and detect many little secrets, but he just had no way to make a thrown weapon change direction.

Luo Qi lunged violently to the left. Great, an arrow grazed his right arm as it passed. He dove accurately between two cacti. His left cheek was scratched by a plant thorn, and his left hand braced against a cactus ball, making him almost howl.

He ran forward a few meters, then suddenly looked back. The man was standing five steps away, the sunlight draped behind him. The sand grains, shining golden under the sun, dazzled his eyes. For a moment, he could not see the newcomer's features clearly; he could only feel his surging, cruel malice and see a dark, sturdy silhouette.

That person said, "Bumping around like a blind rat, and you actually ran here, unable to even find a place to hide."

Luo Qi bit his dry lips and looked left and right. This was a desert landscape, and the sparse, succulent, thorny plants really looked useless.

"What do you want?" Luo Qi asked. "You idiot, Chi Yu."

Chi Yu spat on the ground. "So you really do recognize me, huh?"

"Yes, you idiot," Luo Qi said.

"Is taking advantage with your mouth fun?" Chi Yu said. He reached out, and Luo Qi was shocked to see him actually manifest an axe in his hand.

"Fuck, your taste in weapons is really bad," Luo Qi couldn't help but say, though he was forced to retreat slowly by the bloody murderous intent radiating from him.

"Is that sissy Du Zhengyi's taste any better?" he sneered. He raised the axe, the handle spinning in his hand, his vicious eyes studying Luo Qi. His meaning was clear and plain: he didn't want to teach Luo Qi a lesson—not the kind that left small injuries. What he wanted to give Luo Qi was irreparable damage, scattered limbs that couldn't be stitched back together. "You knew I was following you, why did you still run here?"

"Why do you want to kill me?" Luo Qi asked. "I should count as an important asset in Qionglin."

"It's like you've forgotten what you did the last time we met," he said.

"Just because I blocked your way once? I didn't even hurt you!" Luo Qi said indignantly, taking another step back and switching to a much softer tone. "Let's be reasonable. Would I let you deal with Du Zhengyi? We have our own sides; let's just reach an understanding. Is it worth being so relentless?"

Now his eyes had adjusted, and he could see Chi Yu's face clearly. It was a ferocious, manic, ugly face. He was surprisingly excited, so excited that his teeth were baring outward, his eyes full of bloodthirsty light. Luo Qi retreated rapidly, not daring to take his eyes off him and his axe. "Your brain has a problem; you need to talk to a Doctor."

"Bullshit!" the Battle Mage roared. The word "Doctor" particularly triggered him. He glared at Luo Qi in anger, veins bulging on his forehead. His hand flicked, and Luo Qi only vaguely saw the movement. He didn't see anything else; maybe this bad bastard Chi Yu just made a feint, but Luo Qi's eyes couldn't keep up with a Battle Mage, and his body's agility couldn't keep up with a Battle Mage either; he dared not be certain of anything. However, the only part of him that could be faster than the Battle Mage before him was his brain. Through his understanding of Du Zhengyi, he already had a full appreciation of a Battle Mage's capabilities.

Luo Qi did not hesitate and immediately leaned backward, lying down on the ground.

When it came to the most stable evasion, this was the only way. Even so, when he saw the axe fly over and chop down a cactus behind him, he was still trembling with rage. He rolled on the ground, quickly moved away from the spot, and jumped up with the greatest agility he could muster. "Are you fucking sick? Actually throwing an axe! You should just lock yourself in the Qionglin underground. I understand now; most of Qionglin should lock themselves up. What the hell is wrong with you people?"

He ran desperately, circling cacti and desert shrubs, but he knew he would soon run out of chances; a Battle Mage wouldn't miss so many times. If Du Zhengyi were still here, he should be coming out to save his brother right now. He always felt that Du Zhengyi wouldn't be so obedient as to leave on a business trip without looking back; he couldn't believe things would really be like that. Now was his last chance.