Chapter 31
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Chapter 31: The Mask of Death
What kind of power is this?
Tyler was astounded; even the strongest boxer couldn’t possibly send someone flying with just one punch, could they? Zhou Zhi’s cheekbone had completely caved in, indicating his demise. Now, Tyler found himself alone to face their opponent.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Englishman swiftly reacted. He kicked the corpse toward their adversary while simultaneously retreating and firing aggressively at him.
The opponent seemed wary of the gun’s firepower and did not capitalize on the moment, instead turning to flee through the door.
In that instant, Tyler knew without a doubt that this individual was the ultimate target of their mission—the Chief of the Northern City Police Department, Kui Qi.
When hearing gunfire from the courtyard, Kui Qi initially didn’t attempt to escape, likely due to overconfidence in the Inner City where he believed no threat could reach him. However, by the time he realized all his subordinates had been eliminated, it was too late to run. Consequently, he made a bold decision to ambush the attackers in his own room. This strategy proved effective as a slight lapse in vigilance led to Zhou Zhi’s immediate demise, shifting the advantageous position to a deadlock.
However, the opponent choosing to temporarily retreat was good news for Tyler. Regardless of how swift or unpredictable Kui Qi might be, he couldn’t outrun bullets. As long as they maintained distance, Tyler felt confident about regaining control of the situation.
As Tyler prepared to chase Kui Qi, Chaoyang suddenly warned him, “Watch out, he’s right behind the wall!”
But by then, Tyler had already taken a stepped outside.
Kui Qi, taking advantage of the wall’s cover, raised his large two-handed sword and aimed directly at Tyler as soon as he peeked around the corner! Due to the timely warning, Tyler hastily retreated, narrowly avoiding the blade with just his hair grazing it.
“Dammit, he still doesn’t plan to flee!” Even the usually composed Englishman burst out cursing.
He lifted his gun and fired repeatedly at the wall, scattering fragments of brickwork instantly, accompanied by Kui Qi’s cries of pain from the other side.
However, amidst this chaos, there was a crisp click, and the gunfire abruptly ceased.
The magazine had run empty.
“Cursed timing, why now…”
Before Tyler could reload, Kui Qi charged from behind the wall—despite being unfamiliar with automatic rifles, even he guessed that this brief silence might be the best opportunity for a counterattack!
They collided forcefully, both crashing heavily onto the ground.
Kui Qi swiftly grabbed Tyler’s right wrist and exerted immense pressure, resulting in an audible crack as Tyler’s bones shattered, rendering him unable to maintain his grip on the gun.
With the greatest threat neutralized, Kui Qi finally revealed a menacing expression.
With his other hand, Kui Qi clamped down on Tyler’s throat like a vice.
“Is that all you’ve got? You fools thought you could kill me!” Kui Qi roared at the Englishman, eyes bloodshot. “Just two incompetents daring to challenge me, a champion warrior! Who gave you such audacity?!”
Despite appearing severely injured—half of his clothing stained red and bullet wounds still bleeding profusely from his leg—Kui Qi persisted with astonishing willpower, suppressing the intense pain.
“Huff… huff…” Veins bulged on Tyler’s face as he struggled, managing only labored gasps for air.
Seeing this, Kui Qi slightly loosened his hold. “Speak up, who sent you here?! Tell me honestly, and I might spare your life!”
Truth be told, even Kui Qi was shaken by the encounter.
Who would have imagined that daredevils would brazenly attack Wangshui Manor? Everyone in the city knew it belonged to the Northern City Police Department; defying them essentially challenged the order of the entire Glorious Fortress. More shocking was that these assailants were merely two individuals, yet they had nearly succeeded!
Yes, it was all because of that unprecedented weapon.
Kui Qi gazed at the peculiar gun lying on the ground, his heart surging with astonishment. It didn’t even appear to be made of steel, exhibiting a rare dark gray color. The barrel and body were unusually short, vastly different from the long rifles produced by armament factories. No matter how he examined it, he couldn’t locate any gas supply mechanism. If it had a steam core, it would have been more comprehensible, but this contraption required magical power to operate—an Inept could not possibly use it.
As the saying goes, after great calamity comes immense fortune. This new weapon might bring him additional power and wealth.
At that moment, Tyler slowly gripped the cloth bag hanging around his chest with his only functioning hand.
“Apologies, I don’t understand a word you’re saying…”
“What did you say?” Kui Qi growled menacingly. “What language is that? Nepukin? Ancient dialect?”
Tyler’s lips curled up as he suddenly lifted both feet, clamping them tightly around Kui Qi’s waist, pressing against him like a sloth clinging to a tree.
Realizing something was amiss, Kui Qi exerted force with one hand, attempting to choke Tyler to death.
But Tyler’s chest was already emitting a dazzling glow!
It was the aluminum-thermite he and Zhou Zhi had acquired using their newly earned points—eight packets divided between two bags. Combined with propellant from a few bullets and flint from a lighter, they created two improvised incendiary devices. Holding the bag seemingly posed no threat, but in reality, Tyler had already struck the flint, producing brilliant sparks.
Zhou Zhi also carried an identical cloth pouch on his person.
Initially, they were unsure of Kui Qi’s capabilities, but Zhang Zhiyuan well understood their advantage: being unyielding to pain and death, even at the brink of dying, they could control their bodies with absolute rationality. Consequently, weapons designed for mutual destruction were undoubtedly the most suitable trump cards for them.
The fire rapidly expanded, burst through the bags, and formed a scorching inferno between the two combatants. Sparks accompanied by smoke erupted, swiftly evaporating the moisture from their clothes, followed by the smell of burning flesh… In almost no time, the high temperatures generated by the aluminum-thermite reaction ignited the areas where their bodies touched!
Kui Qi let out a blood-curdling scream!
The pain was absolutely unbearable for any human.
However, Tyler seemed completely indifferent, as if his body wasn’t on fire at all. His legs clamped tightly around Kui Qi’s waist, and even with his left hand, now blistered and burned, he maintained his grip.
Even after Kui Qi having already snapped Tyler’s neck, he couldn’t make him release his hold!
In a frenzied state, Kui Qi rolled wildly on the ground, the intense agony from the flames tearing through his nerves. Furniture scattered haphazardly as he collided with everything, rolling back and forth for several seconds before finally flinging away Tyler’s burning body. It took nearly another half-minute of struggling before the flames on him gradually died out.
By this point, Kui Qi was barely recognizable as human. His clothes were entirely burned off, skin curled and peeled away due to the extreme heat, revealing raw, bloody tissue beneath. The situation was even worse on his chest, where direct contact with the aluminum-thermite had seared a large hole. Beneath the charred flesh, faint traces of gray rib bones were visible.
Yet, he was still alive.
Or rather, he stubbornly held on, refusing to take his final breath.
“I will survive… In the end, the winner will be me… How could I possibly die here!” Kui Qi gritted his teeth and slowly crawled towards the reception room… There was always a water tank stored there, typically used for brewing tea to serve guests. If he couldn’t immediately alleviate the pain, the relentless agony all over his body would soon send him into shock.
Crunch!
Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass came from behind him.It was the noise made by someone stepping on broken shards.
“…Wh-who is it?” Terrified, Kui Qi turned his gaze and saw only a pair of leather boots and the hem of a pitch-black trench coat entering his field of vision. The figure moved slowly but with steady steps, gradually approaching him step by step.
When did this person enter? How come, with his heightened perception, he failed to detect them?
For the first time, fear truly gripped Kui Qi.
He struggled to get up, attempting multiple times but slipping each due to his own blood, until the newcomer stopped right in front of him.
Then, the figure slowly crouched down, coming fully within Kui Qi’s line of sight.
Kui Qi noticed the stranger wore a peculiar red-and-black mask.
