Vol. 4 Chapter 9: The Battle Begins

Chapter 9: The Battle Begins

Zheng Long muttered to himself as he sped off on his motorcycle, following a vague intuition toward an unknown destination. In a high-end neighborhood, the shadow assassin raised his head, sensing Zheng Long's approach based on intel from the other shadow assassin monitoring him.

"Trusting your power, huh?" thought the shadow assassin. He quickly relayed this information to Lu Li and then infiltrated the neighborhood's surveillance room. He stood outside a luxurious villa, where a bloody scene was unfolding.

Inside the villa, Fu Bin, cloaked in black, ended another life. The villa was filled with wealthy individuals hosting a wild party, complete with hired girls and various "props." Having gotten wind of this gathering, Fu Bin decided to crash the party, eliminating each person one by one. Fu Bin, a former high school student, now believed that the wealthy were inherently evil, influenced by countless novels and games that painted rich people as villains. His enhanced intellect, thanks to the mask, only reinforced his black-and-white view of the world. Anyone he deemed "trash" needed to be "cleaned up."

As Fu Bin wrote his bloody message on the wall, Zheng Long burst through the gates on his motorcycle. Luckily, most villas around were empty, and the few occupied ones were at the same party, so no one noticed Zheng Long's abrupt entrance. Meanwhile, the shadow assassin in the surveillance room ensured no one outside saw anything, deleting and physically destroying all recordings.

Finally, Zheng Long found his target. "You bastard! Give me back my brother!" he roared, revving his motorcycle and charging at Fu Bin. Fu Bin, initially confused, sneered as he recognized Zheng Long's outfit and mask.

"Another piece of trash wearing a mask? No matter, cleaning you up will be easy," Fu Bin taunted, jumping aside and mocking him.

"You're the trash!" Zheng Long yelled, leaping off his bike and swinging his chain belt at Fu Bin. Fueled by anger, Zheng Long's strength surged, and his chain swung with increased force. Fu Bin dodged but stumbled over a corpse, giving Zheng Long the opening to strike.

"Die, you bastard! I'm the protagonist here!" Zheng Long screamed, fully believing in his ability to overcome any obstacle. A strange force amplified his belief, enhancing his abilities. His mind became clearer, and with a powerful swing, he aimed to crush Fu Bin's skull.

But Fu Bin's mask emitted a black substance that formed a protective barrier, halting the chain. Fu Bin regained his footing, grabbed the chain, and conjured a black, smoky sword from the floating organisms. With a powerful yank, he pulled Zheng Long closer and swung his sword.

Zheng Long realized the danger but was a split second too slow. Even as he released the chain, Fu Bin's pull threw him off balance. The smoky sword descended toward him, promising a fatal blow.

"I won't die here! I'm the protagonist!" Zheng Long shouted, his eyes wild. Belief surged within him, creating a mirage of a genetic lock unlocking his full potential. His body strengthened, and his movements became precise. He grabbed the chain mid-air, using it to block Fu Bin's strike. The chain, now imbued with his newfound power, held firm against the sword.

Zheng Long kicked out at Fu Bin, sending him staggering back, and slid away in a pool of blood. Fu Bin, momentarily surprised, smirked. "You think you can escape? I'm the god of this world. You'll die here like the trash you are."

Black blood dripped from Zheng Long's nose and mouth. He realized the floating organisms had infiltrated his body, slowly corrupting him. "Trash belongs in the trash. Die with them and fuel my ascension," Fu Bin sneered, sending the black organisms toward Zheng Long.

Just then, a dark flame shot through the door, incinerating the floating organisms. Shao Zhang, breathing heavily, stood at the entrance, his hands ablaze with the black fire. "It's you, isn't it? You desecrated everything I held dear!" he roared, hurling a fireball at Fu Bin.

Fu Bin deflected the fireball with his sword, which promptly caught fire. He discarded the burning sword and retreated, hearing police sirens in the distance. "I'll remember you both. Next time, you won't escape."

As Fu Bin fled, Shao Zhang's anger ebbed, and the black flames on his body faded. His skin cracked under the strain of the fire. "Hey, can you walk? We need to move before the police get here," he asked Zheng Long, panting.

Zheng Long nodded, coughing up a glob of black blood. The shadow energy in his body expelled the foreign organisms. Though gruesome, the blood indicated his body was purging the infection.