Chapter 32: More Than Three Thousand!

Chapter 32: Far More Than Three Thousand!

*Crack!*

Luo Zhen gripped the armrests of his round-backed chair with both hands, straightened his spine, and stared at that sword-wielding black shadow, his face a mask of cold intent.

The strength of Zhao Ding's trump card slightly exceeded his expectations.

The disfigured Hu Zhong now hunched his body, gnashing his teeth, like a cornered beast driven to a dead end.

He couldn't fathom how Li Jun could withstand his full-power strike with flesh and blood alone, just as he didn't know that certain martial arts techniques were specifically designed for body tempering.

Hu Zhong's electricity, before the late-stage Iron Cloth Shirt, was still somewhat lacking.

Though martial cultivation lacked the convenience of mecha-body implantation, its effects were evidently superior.

Speed has speed's advantages; slowness has slowness's might!

"Brothers... Rise!"

Kuang Qingyun's eyes burned crimson as he suddenly threw up his arms and roared.

This cry soared high, near piercing, reverberating back and forth in the deathly silent council hall.

In that very instant, Li Jun suddenly spread his arms; the skin of his bare upper body cracked inch by inch, the fissured wounds resembling a layer of blood-red tattoos.

"Then let's do this!"

The first step fell, bricks shattered, sound erupted, blade light moved!

A second step, the long saber held in a reverse grip already sheathed in a piercing shriek, thrust straight for Hu Zhong's heart!

Hu Zhong screamed in terror, rallying the dregs of power left in his Leibu Heavenly Soldier Mechanism Core, pumping out the last of his lightning, barely weaving a net of electricity before his chest.

*Zzt!!*

The net sank violently, yet never broke, stubbornly blocking the long saber with incredible tenacity.

Li Jun, saber in left hand, smiled coldly, then suddenly smashed a fist into the pommel end.

The blade tip, forced by the power, surged forward half an inch, piercing through the net even as it sent Hu Zhong flying.

Mid-air, Hu Zhong tried to twist his waist and turn, but from the corner of his eye he caught the biting blade light.

*Pu-chi!*

The saber fell like a boning knife; in a breath, the synthetic skin on Hu Zhong was sliced clean away, the exposed iron bones riddled with saber marks.

With his Mechanism Core silenced, Hu Zhong had not a shred of strength left to fight back; he pressed his arms together as a shield before his chest, clinging to life amidst the continuous rain of blades.

"Sir, save me!"

Hu Zhong, his throat gashed, let out a twisted, sharp cry; the red light in his single eye pierced through the saber wind, looking toward Luo Zhen seated to the side.

"Sir, shall we move?"

That garrison captain looked tense, his hand on the pistol grip at his waist trembling slightly.

He was already thus; the garrison soldiers behind him were even worse off.

A battle between two Sequence Nines was simply too staggering for ordinary people like them.

"Wait!"

Luo Zhen abruptly raised his hand, his gaze exceptionally indifferent.

Hu Zhong saw his movement clearly, his shouted cries halting abruptly, replaced by a beast-like low growl.

"Still baring your fangs?"

*Clang!*

Li Jun chopped down with a saber, directly severing Hu Zhong's left arm at the root.

Hu Zhong scrambled away in a panic with a desperate roll, dodging the follow-up blade light; the red light in his mechanical prosthetic eye surged and sank, woven from deepest despair and bone-deep hatred.

He suddenly began to laugh, and the laughter grew louder, sharper!

Hu Zhong no longer dodged; he simply slumped to the ground, pointing at Li Jun with the only remaining index finger on his right hand, screaming hoarsely:

"So what if you're at the peak of Martial Nine? You're just a pawn in someone else's hand, same as me!"

The skinless metal face emitted a creepy laugh, its venomous malice sending chills down the spine.

"Don't tell me you really thought Zhao Ding was dead? Hehe, you're too naive! When you and Luo Zhen fight to exhaustion, he'll jump out of that coffin and tell you what this 'damn brotherhood' was all for!"

Li Jun lowered his eyes, dragging his saber on the ground, walking toward Hu Zhong step by step.

Hu Zhong looked up at Li Jun, raving madly: "Hahahaha, Hu Zhong admits defeat today, but you'll soon come down to keep me company!"

Li Jun stood beside Hu Zhong, raising the saber high with both hands, letting out a disdainful sneer: "Then I'll die standing!"

*Pu-chi!*

The long saber fell like thunder, entering through Hu Zhong's gaping mouth, shattering every mechanical component along its path, stabbing straight into that Leibu Heavenly Soldier Mechanism Core worth a king's ransom!

[Proficiency Points Gained: 150]

[Consumed 95 Proficiency Points, Iron Cloth Shirt upgraded to Grade Nine Grand Perfection]

[Consumed 55 Proficiency Points, Single Saber Technique upgraded to Grade Nine Late Stage (88/100)]

.................

"Fire!"

Luo Zhen sprang from his chair as if electrocuted, roaring in fury!

But the target of his firing order was not Li Jun, but that pitch-black coffin!

Hu Zhong's dying words made this Inspector Lord unable to sit still any longer.

If Zhao Ding wasn't truly dead, then this empty coffin placed here today was prepared for none other than Luo Zhen!

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Nerves stretched to the breaking point, the garrison soldiers, already on the verge of collapse, instantly raised their muzzles; the Divine Machine Camp Model 1410 pistols instantly spewed scorching streams of fire.

Amidst the torrential rain of gunfire, hundreds of bullets poured toward the coffin.

*Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!*

"Hiss...."

When the gunfire finally ceased, a massive intake of cold breath suddenly rang out in the council hall.

Under the terrified gazes of the garrison, a figure stood tall before the coffin!

That azure robe had long since been shredded to dust by the bullet rain, the synthetic skin completely stripped away.

Those once proud eyes were gone, leaving only two deep, hollow sockets in the eye sockets.

Kuang Qingyun had used his own body to block every bullet, protecting Zhao Ding's coffin!

Luo Zhen shot a hateful glare at Kuang Qingyun, then shifted his gaze to Li Jun charging forward with drawn saber, roaring at the garrison soldiers reloading behind him: "Kill him first!"

Just then, a heaven-shaking clamor suddenly erupted at the main hall gates, followed by footsteps rumbling like rolling thunder.

Dense shadows surged in through the gates, and leading the charge was none other than a group of shabbily dressed old men.

This scene was staggering; the guards froze, stunned, and even Li Jun, charging headlong with his head down, ready to fight to the death, halted in his tracks.

These dregs of the Chicken-and-Goose District, the lowest of the low, surged into the council hall, instantly encircling every last guard in the center.

Beneath countless pairs of furious eyes, even Luo Zhen felt his limbs turn ice-cold, his heart a hollow void of dread.

He forced a mouthful of false courage, bellowing: "Insolent rabble! This official is Luo Zhen, Inspector of the Chicken-and-Goose District! What do you think you are doing?!"

Official authority radiated out, suppressing the entire hall for a heartbeat.

But in that very instant, the silent sinners erupted as one, stepping forward in unison, crashing into the guards and driving them back step by step.

Even a doddering old man on death's door seized a guard's spear tip and pressed it squarely against his own brow.

"You beasts want to disturb Lord Ding's rest? Then kill us first!"

The ancient, rasping voice carried a fury and resentment pushed to the absolute limit.

Standing outside the crowd, Li Jun looked at the strange faces blocking his path and suddenly understood why Zhao Ding had insisted on saving the Pao Ge Society, on saving Nine Dragons Street.

He finally knew why the Pao Ge Society always called itself the Three Thousand Brothers.

But today, how could it be merely three thousand!

Gazing at the refugees, ravenous as wolves choosing their prey, Luo Zhen finally panicked. He snatched a rifle and emptied the magazine into the sky.

"I am a court functionary! Whoever dares touch me faces the extermination of their entire clan!"

A savage light reignited in Li Jun's eyes. He clawed at the skin of his own neck and tore downward with brutal force, ripping the Jaotu tattoo clean off.

From this moment on, he was no longer the Fifth Red Flag Brother of the Pao Ge Society!

The crowd parted. Li Jun advanced, blade in hand.

"I'll do the killing!"