Chapter 381: Pursuit

“Mr. Fang, my name is Lin Xiao, a friend of Fang Yuan. She entrusted me to assist you,” Lin Xiao explained. “However, the matter isn’t resolved yet, so I’ll take my leave.”

After speaking, he leaped through the shattered window, pursuing in the direction the attacker had fled.

Seeing Lin Xiao depart, the middle-aged man’s tense body finally relaxed.

Although Lin Xiao had saved his life, the middle-aged man harbored doubts about Lin Xiao’s identity, as his appearance was too sudden.

The elegant woman, however, didn’t overthink it. She raised her hand to gently pat her chest, her face pale, still lingering in fear. “So, this is the friend Yuan Yuan found. Fortunately, fortunately.”

Several kilometers away, in a secluded small park.

The attacker hid behind a large tree, his eyes blood-red, panting heavily.

His eyes were bloodshot and ferocious, but his face remained expressionless, stiff and wooden. He appeared extremely bizarre.

The attacker closed his eyes, leaned against the tree, took several deep breaths, then suddenly raised his hand and tore at his face. He peeled off the entire face, revealing another pale, bloodless face beneath.

It turned out he had been wearing a mask all along.

The mask in his hand was lifelike, with intricate skin textures, just like real human skin. Without careful inspection, it would be hard to tell it was a mask.

This mask was made of human skin, directly peeled from someone’s face.

The person whose face was peeled had long since decayed underground, their identity assumed by the killer. This was why the police had yet to discover the killer.

After all, the method of making human skin masks was too evil and unimaginable. Ordinary people wouldn’t think in that direction.

“This face can’t be used anymore.”

The killer took out a lighter, set the human skin mask on fire, his blood-red pupils reflecting the flames, flickering with eerie and sinister light.

“I didn’t expect an intruder to disrupt my purification plan. Since that’s the case, I’ll make him the new purification target.”

He extended his scarlet tongue to lick his lips, his face ferocious, eyes revealing killing intent.

“A martial artist, huh? Such a powerful prey hasn’t been encountered in a long time. Skin like iron, bones like steel, and so young, very worthy as a collectible. However, I’m afraid I can’t take him down relying on myself alone. Fortunately, there are others from the organization nearby. I can have him join me. At worst, I’ll share half the spoils.”

The killer quickly formulated his next plan, eyes showing fervent killing intent.

“It’s been a long time since I was this excited. Such a powerful prey, just thinking about it is thrilling! Purify! I must purify him!”

He discarded the mostly burned human skin mask, glanced around, tidied his clothes, put on his sunglasses again, and walked into the distance.

But after only a few steps, his body suddenly stopped, stiffly turned his neck, and looked to the left.

There stood a large tree, requiring two people to encircle it, with someone standing beneath.

Someone he thought he had long shaken off.

That person was looking at him with indifferent eyes, a faint mocking smile at the corner of his mouth.

The killer’s pale cheeks suddenly darkened, his wrist flipped, and a short blade appeared in his hand. “How did you find me?”

“With your hiding skills, you’re as conspicuous as a torch in the dark to me.”

Lin Xiao stepped forward, approaching him, his demeanor extremely calm. “I specifically gave you three minutes. You’ve rested enough now, haven’t you?”

The killer slowly removed his sunglasses, clenched his hand, and with a crack, crushed them into powder. His mouth cracked into a ferocious, savage smile. “I didn’t come after you, yet you delivered yourself to my door. Are you so eager to die?”

“Who will die, you’ll soon know.”

Lin Xiao had already approached within two meters of the killer. In his calm, deep eyes, an unceasingly flickering flame ignited, and a vast aura suddenly rose within him, like a giant beast awakening from slumber.

“You take pleasure in killing, I happen to have killed many like you. Make your move, don’t say I didn’t give you a chance.”

The killer’s grin gradually disappeared; he felt his face stiffen. Facing this young man with no expression, sensing the overwhelming murderous aura within him, he felt, for the first time, a pressure as heavy as a mountain.

Instinct told him that this young man wasn’t lying. If he didn’t go all out, he might die here.

The immense pressure from Lin Xiao instead aroused his ferocity. His eyes glowed red. A brutal killing intent surged within him. He let out a strange cry. Stepping forward, his blade drew an arc toward Lin Xiao’s neck.

An inch longer, an inch stronger; an inch shorter, an inch more perilous. The short blade was no more than two feet long; not particularly strong, nor particularly perilous, but in the hands of a master, it was both strong and perilous.

The killer was undoubtedly a master of the knife. His reason for killing everywhere, besides satisfying his thirst for slaughter, was to practice his knife skills.

It’s said that when the legendary butcher Ding slaughtered cattle, one cut would separate bone and flesh.

The killer certainly hadn’t reached that level, but through continuous killing. He was thoroughly familiar with human weak points, knowing how to strike to make it harder for the enemy to defend.

For example, this strike had a tricky angle, the blade constantly trembling, yet its speed was as fast as lightning. On the surface, it seemed to be aiming for Lin Xiao’s neck, but in reality, Lin Xiao’s upper body was within his attack range.

Facing this sinister and vicious strike, Lin Xiao shifted his feet, his form unfolding, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside the killer. His left hand clenched tightly, and without hesitation, he punched out.

Chen-style Fist!

For such scum, Lin Xiao had no intention of wasting time. He planned to cripple him first.

Therefore, he used a killing move right away.

Accompanied by a heart-shaking sonic boom, Lin Xiao’s fist instantly reached the killer’s chest. The resulting force nearly blew his body away.

The killer was shocked. He realized he had still underestimated Lin Xiao. He hadn’t anticipated Lin Xiao being so formidable.

One misstep, and the whole game was lost.

It was too late to dodge. A fierce glint flashed in the killer’s eyes. He unexpectedly chose not to evade Lin Xiao’s punch. He flipped his wrist, reversing the knife to stab at Lin Xiao’s neck.

A hit to the chest might not be fatal, but a pierced neck would be certain death.

His intention was clear: to fight Lin Xiao to mutual destruction, or to force Lin Xiao to change his move and retreat.