Chapter 53 Execution

"Who's there?" The voice came along with the clamor of footsteps. Judging by the noise, there were about four or five people.

Lin Xing glanced around. It was a circular cave, roughly ten feet in diameter. Above was a sloping ramp—the one he had rolled down from. Beside it was an angled ladder, likely used for climbing back up.

Ahead of the circular cave was a corridor, about twice a person's height and quite spacious. Occasionally, glowing crystals were embedded along the walls for illumination, though the light was dim. But it didn't hinder Lin Xing.

Lin Xing's fall had been loud, creating quite a racket. The guards inside immediately noticed. Bored, they came over to see what had happened.

They never expected an enemy—this place had never been visited by foes before. Even if someone came, they might not discover it.

"Kameda, you idiot, hurry up and see who's there! Get up there and keep watch. If enemies show up, you're finished!" Kameda was one of the sentries stationed at the tree hole above. He had just followed Gao Xiong and the others down because it was dead boring up there.

Gao Xiong was the name of the squad leader Lin Xing had been tailing. "Probably someone from Squad Leader Gao Xiong's group," Kameda said dismissively, assuming it was stragglers from Gao Xiong's team—otherwise, they wouldn't have entered.

"Go on, quick! If those above blame us, you won't be able to handle the consequences."

"Kazuo, you bastard! Let me have a few more sips!" "Get going, hurry back to your post! This is all I have left, and you're still at it. You jerk, put it down! Give me back my wine! I'll kill you!"

Noisy voices echoed from inside. Lin Xing had already slipped to the outside of what seemed like a guardroom. Concealed in a dark spot, he had a clear view inside: five men were drinking, and one was staggering out with a bottle of wine.

The footsteps Lin Xing had heard earlier were likely theirs as they moved about.

These must be the guards stationed at the entrance, Lin Xing thought to himself. He could probably take them down, but how to do it silently? Lin Xing frowned.

Kameda, having snatched a bottle of wine, staggered as he tried to head back. Seeing Kameda, Lin Xing's eyes lit up. He retreated slightly, hiding motionless in the darkness.

Kameda hummed a tune, drinking as he walked. Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Annoyed, he spoke without turning his head, "Kazuo, you bastard, can't you just—" Before he could finish, a powerful hand clamped around his throat. Instantly, Kameda was unable to make a sound. Feeling the grip tighten slowly, fear flashed across his face. He struggled to turn and see who was messing with him.

But before he could move, he heard a cracking sound—"Crunch!" Before Kameda could react, excruciating pain shot through him, his vision went dark, and he knew nothing more.

Though it sounds lengthy, from the tap on Kameda's shoulder to the twist that broke his neck, it took only a few seconds. Lin Xing wasn't a cruel person, but he knew these enemies were no good. He had no fear of killing the wrong man, so he struck with lethal intent from the start.

After killing Kameda, Lin Xing supported the body, dragged it to a spot out of sight from the guardroom, then took the wine bottle from Kameda's hand and hurled it hard to the ground. With a crisp "Crack!" the bottle shattered. Lin Xing then released Kameda's body.

Already dead, Kameda, without Lin Xing's support, thudded heavily to the ground, making a loud noise.

Lin Xing hid in the nearby darkness.

Inside, the four men drinking heard the bottle shatter and what sounded like a body falling. Kazuo said, "That idiot Kameda must be drunk. Damn it, my wine bottle!"

"He wasn't drunk when he left just now. How could he get drunk so fast? Could something have happened?" one man questioned.

"What could happen? That bastard Kameda is always like this!"

"Kono, go check it out. Drag him back while you're at it, so no one sees him when they come out later."

"Yes, sir!" Kono walked over alone.

"That idiot Kameda, even drunk he's a nuisance, bothering me. What bad luck!" Kono grumbled all the way.

Seeing Kameda lying motionless on the ground, Kono kicked him. "Get up, you jerk!" But Kameda showed no reaction.

Kono didn't suspect anything was wrong, thinking Kameda was just dead drunk. He tried to drag Kameda up, but a sharp pain shot through his neck. He only heard a "Crunch" from his own neck before slowly collapsing, dead without even knowing how it happened.

After a while, the three men inside felt something was off. Even if Kameda was too drunk to come back, why hadn't Kono returned either? Could something really have happened?

"You two, go see what those idiots are up to!" Kazuo said to the remaining two. "Take your weapons!" Kazuo sensed something was wrong.

The two men picked up their weapons and walked over cautiously until they saw Kono's body. "Kono," one of them called out, "are you drunk too?" The other laughed.

"Kono?" One man went over and kicked Kono. No movement. He flipped Kono over, and the body turned accordingly. Seeing something amiss, "Dead?" The man checked Kono's breathing.

Just as he was about to stand up, he sensed a figure rushing toward him at high speed. Startled, he reflexively drew his weapon. But the man who had come with him was already lying dead on the ground.

While that man was examining the body, Lin Xing used his incredible speed to swiftly kill the one behind him, then aimed to quickly eliminate the other as well.

But this man was alert and reacted instantly, now facing Lin Xing warily.

However, this was only a man with Sword Master-level strength—hardly someone Lin Xing would regard as a threat.

Just as the man was about to shout a question, Lin Xing instantly closed the distance, striking his palm against the man's chest. With a surge of energy, the overwhelmingly powerful Nine Yang Zhen Qi poured into the man's body, instantly destroying his meridians and internal organs, snuffing out his life.

Eyes wide, blood streaming from all seven orifices, the man stared at Lin Xing with disbelief and resentment before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

"One last one."

Lin Xing walked toward that room.

"Who are you?" Kazuo watched Lin Xing warily. "Where are they?"

"Who I am is none of your concern. As for them, you'll find out when you're dead," Lin Xing said coldly.

"You killed them?" Kazuo looked at this unfathomable young man before him, feeling a twinge of fear.

"Yes. Now, it's your turn." Without warning, Lin Xing charged at Kazuo. Startled, Kazuo swung his blade down at Lin Xing.

Lin Xing sidestepped, dodging the slash, and closed in on Kazuo while delivering a palm strike.

Kazuo gripped his blade with both hands, channeling all his strength, and swung horizontally at Lin Xing.

Using his swift footwork, Lin Xing evaded the horizontal slash and quickly closed in beside Kazuo. A hand chop struck Kazuo's arm, instantly severing it with Lin Xing's formidable Zhen Qi.

Kazuo's blade clattered to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Xing subdued Kazuo.

Though Lin Xing was skilled and bold, he was completely unfamiliar with the interior. Sparing Kazuo's life was for interrogation purposes.