Chapter 287: Breaking Through

Lin Xiao caught up with the fleeing mercenary and struck with his palm.

The mercenary’s head nearly caved into his chest. Blood flowed from all seven orifices as his lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

Seizing the moment, uncle Wang, who had been lying in wait, finally made his move. With a swift leap, he appeared behind Lin Xiao. His fist, darkened by the power of his inner strength, surged toward Lin Xiao’s back.

In an instant, the air hummed with energy.

This punch carried all of uncle Wang’s strength—his most powerful strike since he began practicing martial arts. Pushed to the brink of life and death, he surpassed his limits, delivering what he believed to be the pinnacle of his skill.

He was confident that even someone as formidable as Lin Xiao would not survive this punch unscathed.

As uncle Wang’s lips curled into a triumphant smile, he believed his ambush had succeeded. Lin Xiao suddenly threw a punch backward without even turning his head.

The impact rang out like the explosion of a tire. Their fists collided, and uncle Wang’s face twisted in shock. Lin Xiao’s fist was unnaturally hard, and pain radiated up uncle Wang’s arm. He staggered backward several steps, unable to maintain his footing.

In contrast, Lin Xiao remained motionless, firmly planted where he stood.

The outcome was clear. Their strength were worlds apart.

“You’ve already lost your courage and determination,” Lin Xiao said evenly, his tone devoid of emotion. “You only dare strike from the shadows, and even then, your attack is feeble. Though you have some skill, you are little more than a decaying relic of the past.”

Though Lin Xiao had just killed multiple people, his breathing remained steady, his composure unshaken.

“Even against an ordinary master of inner strength, you’d lose. You’ve abandoned the devotion necessary for martial arts.”

Uncle Wang’s face alternated between pale and flushed, his expression full of hatred and unwillingness. He knew Lin Xiao’s words were true—once courage was lost, it was nearly impossible to reclaim.

“Damn you! I’ll tear you to pieces!”

Before Lin Xiao could react, a furious roar erupted behind him.

Lin Xiao turned slightly to see Black Fury charging toward him.

Black Fury’s face was twisted with madness, his bloodshot eyes burning with rage. One hand held a pistol, the other a gleaming dagger, as he lunged at Lin Xiao like a rabid tiger.

It wasn’t surprising that Black Fury had lost all reason. Nearly all of his mercenaries had been slaughtered by Lin Xiao. Even if Lin Xiao were defeated now, the Black Fury Mercenary Corps would never recover. Their reputation was ruined, their forces decimated.

His hatred for Lin Xiao burned so fiercely that even the oceans could not extinguish it.

As Black Fury charged forward, Fang Haoyan stood back, gripping his pistol tightly. Unlike Black Fury, Fang Haoyan remained calm. He knew approaching Lin Xiao directly would be suicidal, so he kept his distance, ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, uncle Wang hesitated briefly before clenching his teeth and joining Black Fury in attacking Lin Xiao from another angle.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fang Haoyan pulled the trigger, sending three bullets hurtling toward Lin Xiao.

“This farce ends now,” Lin Xiao said.

His eyes gleamed with an intense light as his hair stood on end. With a burst of inner strength, his body emitted a deep, thunderous sound.

In one swift motion, Lin Xiao sidestepped, dodging all three bullets, and crossed two meters in a single step. In the blink of an eye, he was face-to-face with Black Fury. His left hand opened wide, fingers curling into claws as they shot toward Black Fury’s chest.

Eagle Claw Technique!

The drilling force of the technique was devastating. If it landed, Black Fury’s chest would undoubtedly be torn apart.

Lin Xiao’s fingers, imbued with inner strength, didn’t aim to rip through flesh but to unleash a shockwave of energy that would shatter Black Fury’s heart on contact.

Black Fury sensed the fatal danger in Lin Xiao’s strike but didn’t retreat. Instead, he slashed his dagger toward Lin Xiao’s throat with a vicious gleam in his eyes.

He was gambling—betting his life on this move. If he survived Lin Xiao’s attack, Lin Xiao would die instead.

Behind Lin Xiao, uncle Wang’s hands, infused with deadly intent, transformed into serpent-like strikes aimed at Lin Xiao’s waist.

Snake Fangs Punch!

It was uncle Wang’s most powerful and renowned move, one that had caused Lin Xiao trouble in a previous encounter.

The scene mirrored their earlier battle, only this time, Black Fury had taken Xuan Yue’s place.

Facing the coordinated assault, Lin Xiao remained calm, his expression devoid of tension. What seemed like a desperate situation to others was nothing more than a minor challenge for him.

Lin Xiao’s claw strike continued toward Black Fury, while his other hand, shaped like a blade, swept downward with the force of a mountain splitting in two.

The sheer power of his strike forced uncle Wang to abandon his attack and retreat. His face paled as he realized he couldn’t withstand Lin Xiao’s blow.

“Coward…” Black Fury growled, his voice filled with disdain as he noticed uncle Wang retreat.

But before Black Fury could finish speaking, Lin Xiao’s claw pierced his chest.

Crack!

Black Fury collapsed backward, his body convulsing violently as blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and ears. The light in his eyes dimmed as his heart ruptured under Lin Xiao’s attack.

“I… I can’t accept this…”

With those final words, Black Fury’s head lolled to the side, lifeless.

Lin Xiao, still expressionless, glanced toward the entrance of the hall. Two figures—Fang Haoyan and uncle Wang—were fleeing in a panic.

“Do you really think you can escape?” Lin Xiao’s eyes flashed with cold intent as he dashed toward the exit.

However, as he closed in, a barrage of bullets forced him to stop.

The few remaining mercenaries and thugs, their faces twisted with desperation, opened fire on Lin Xiao with their assault rifles.

Lin Xiao swiftly neutralized them, dispatching the last of his opponents in half a minute before continuing his pursuit of Fang Haoyan and uncle Wang.