AZI Volume 2 Chapter 18

*Bam!* as the ceiling of the floor beneath him collapses, Long Hua descends from the floor above to evade the cannon's blast.

(Talk about having one's life flash before them…)

Raising a sigh, Long Hua looks forward, and sees that the feet of Qing Yue's MAU are reminiscent of a bird's talons.

"Might as well."

Approaching the MAU, Long Hua waits for the cannon's blast to die down.

[Hmph, that's what you get for calling me a shorty. Hm wait-?]

As soon as the cannon's blast has died down, and Qing Yue sees the purposefully cut hole that is on the ground, a feeling of bad premonition appears in her heart.

"…"

*…!!!* increasing the density of the sword Qi that is shrouding his blade by another layer; Long Hua swings his sword—cutting the floor beneath the MAU's feet, causing it to fall to the next level.

[Uh!?]

Without giving Qing Yue any time to react, Long Hua lands onto the next floor, and immediately repeats the process—causing the war machine to fall rapidly towards ground level without much pause in its freefall!

...…

"Damn you, old hag, must you go this far?"

"Rebellious children all need to be taught a good lesson once in a while. Be a good girl, and give up the map already, otherwise…"

With a sharp gleam in her golden eyes, Nian Tao Tao looks at Zhui Yun and Tian Cheng.

*Ding.* it was also in that instance that the eight Moon Guards—who were accompanying Qing Yue emerged from the elevator.

Batting an eye at them, Nian Tao Tao asks—

"Hm? Where's your commander?"

"She's dealing with the lunatic."

"…He lived?"

"Stubborn bastard… Actually, how did those guys survive my grenades?"

Hearing the news of Long Hua's survival, Zhui Yun curses beneath her breath, while pondering about the method that those Moon Guards had used to survive her grenades.

*…!!! …!!! …!!!* as increasingly violent tremors rock the hotel building, all eyes gradually turn towards the ceiling—that is a few dozen meters above their heads.

"Hm?"

*Kakaka!* cracks spread on the surface of the ceiling, and—

*Boom!!!* an instance later, a good portion of it collapses—causing many to place their arms over their heads, while distancing themselves from the area of danger!

*Boom! Boom! Boom!!!* accompanied by the ceiling's debris in their fall is a white MAU, and standing above the MAU's chest—

"Well, well, well, looks like we're all here."

Holding Bai Zhe in his right hand is Long Hua, who had landed into the center of the two sides' confrontation.

[Ass hat, get your dirty feet off my Demon King!]

"Demon King? Is that what you call this thing?"

Ignoring Qing Yue's demand, Long Hua presses his right foot down harder, and rubs the sole of his sneaker against the MAU's chest scratching up the paint job.

[You scum!]

Just as the arms of the MAU are about to move, Long Hua swings his sword, and following four flashes, the limbs of the MAU are cleanly severed from their sockets.

[…]

The moment this happens, Qing Yue turns completely mute.

"You truly are quite fascinating, young man."

"Your praise is too heavy for me to accept, I'm afraid."

With a smile, Nian Tao Tao continues to ask—

"Even so, what are your odds of being able to escape from this encirclement?"

"…"

Looking at the five MAUs that are all armed to the teeth along with the Moon Guards who are most likely all Sinners, Long Hua can't help but frown.

(Unleashing my cultivation base fully to utilize a large-scale divine art would probably be enough to get me out of this encirclement. …That's assuming that I can actually do that. So far, empowering my physical strength through the use of my cultivation base hasn't triggered the city's detection system, but… If the system doesn't go off on me when I'm using a divine art, I'd expect it to be in desperate need of repairs.)

"Well, what's your answer, Sword Saint Long?"

Leaping off the "Demon King," Long Hua shakes his head and sighs.

"I don't dare to call myself a Sword Saint. In any case…"

"…"

Glancing at Nian Yao Yao, who is directing a gaze of anticipation at him, Long Hua answers—

"On my own, I have a ten percent chance of being able to escape with a few injuries. With baggage, though… Make that a five percent chance."

"Are you willing to take that five percent chance?"

(Her condition for victory is to either isolate Yao Yao from us, or create a situation like this, where we as the guards aren't able to deal with her side's firepower. Even if she doesn't have the heart to give the orders to open fire, we're basically locked in place and can't go anywhere.)

Scrutinizing the face of Nian Tao Tao—as if to look for any flaws in their outward display of emotions, Long Hua thought for a moment before approaching Nian Yao Yao, and positions himself behind her.

(Problems that can be resolved with money and brute strength—cannot be called problems.)

(Then what happens when you truly encounter a problem, shizun?)

(You resolve it by being a scumbag, or a lunatic.)

"…"

Recalling this conversation that had occurred in the distant past, Long Hua smiles with nostalgia.

"Ah?"

Placing his left hand on Nian Yao Yao's shoulder, Long Hua presses the edge of his blade near her neck.

"Now then… Not another step closer. I have a hostage with me."

"…?"

"…?"

Awkward silence fills the air, and blinking their eyes with an expression of confusion, it takes both Nian Yao Yao and Nian Tao Tao half a minute to catch up to the situation.

"Young man, you…?"

"Long Hua, you…?"

"Hua, you…?"

Towards Zhui Yun—who is glaring at him with clear hostility, Long Hua bats her an eye to deal with it.

"This is ridiculous. You wouldn't dare to kill your own employer."

"Are you sure about that?"

Pressing Bai Zhe closer to Nian Yao Yao's neck, and allowing a bit of blood to flow, Long Hua looks at Nian Tao Tao with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Apologies."

In the same instance, Tian Cheng pulls out Kun, and assumes the same posture as Long Hua; the only difference is—

"Huh?"

Realizing that she has also become a hostage, Jing Yao widens her eyes.