Chapter 189 - 124: You Want to Kill, and So Do I

Chapter 189: Chapter 124: You Want to Kill, and So Do I

Mr. Xu looked at Lu Jing’an, who stood opposite him in the dense fog, the smile on his face growing ever wider.

In the dim light and swirling mist, that smile held a hint of inscrutable depth.

Bai Ting slowly took half a step forward. The soles of his shoes crunched over the gravel, making a soft, rustling sound.

"When did you figure it out?" Mr. Xu—or rather, Bai Ting—lifted his eyes to look at Lu Jing’an.

His tone was calm, like old friends chatting idly.

Lu Jing’an didn’t move. Only his voice traveled through the fog. "Just now."

That wasn’t a lie.

’Vague suspicions had long been forming in my mind, like reflections in water, wavering and uncertain.’

’Especially after learning that Blood Cultivators could create avatars. The doubt grew silently, like a creeping vine.’

But suspicion was just suspicion, especially in the midst of this major battle.

Acting rashly on a mere inkling was no different from gambling.

It was the same reason he wouldn’t forcibly keep Chen Xuan by his side based on a single guess.

What if Bai Ting’s plan was a double bluff?

What if Bai Ting himself was the one stationed on that ship?

Therefore, Chen Xuan had to go to Muddy Dragon Beach. It was an overt scheme, but also a test.

As for the confirmation just a moment ago, in that flash of insight, it was because just a moment before, under the keen perception of Lu Jing’an’s unique "Cause and Effect with Sound" entry, an exceptionally clear and powerful ’line’ had suddenly pointed to a specific spot within the dense fog.

The one connected to that ’line’ was none other than Bai Hu.

Bai Hu, the sharpest blade under Bai Ting’s command, and also his most trusted Personal Guard.

Where Bai Hu was, Bai Ting was sure to be nearby.

At this point, the answer was obvious.

’Even though I was prepared, seeing through this disguise for real still sent ripples through my heart.’

The dignified Commander of the Defense Command, the Patriarch of the Bai Family who dominated an entire region...

...had actually used the inconspicuous identity of "Mr. Xu" to first infiltrate the Hu Family, and then appear here at the docks of little Yin Mountain County.

’Such methods, such audacity... who could have possibly predicted this?’

’The Hu Family was utterly deceived. Their loss was well-deserved.’

’But... why would Bai Ting take such a great risk and personally enter the fray? What is he after?’

For the moment, Lu Jing’an still couldn’t see the full picture.

On the other side of the fog, Bai Ting seemed to see through the turmoil in his mind and chuckled.

"I’m guessing you’re wondering why I would put myself in such danger, aren’t you?"

Bai Ting paused, then added leisurely, his tone carrying the detached air of someone who has seen it all.

"Don’t overthink it. I don’t actually have any Mind Reading Technique.

I’ve just lived a little longer, seen a few more people, and have gotten reasonably good at figuring out what they’re thinking."

This time, Lu Jing’an didn’t get angry. Instead, he took the opportunity to ask, "Since Commander Bai has already figured it out, why not enlighten me?"

"It’s simple."

Bai Ting’s voice came through the fog, still steady, but with a faint, underlying chill.

"You don’t want me to live, so naturally, I don’t want you to live.

You want to cut off my escape, so I can just as easily cut off yours."

Bai Ting let out a soft "Heh." His tone was surprisingly relaxed.

"Either way, I was going to have to wade into these muddy waters eventually.

I might as well take this fine opportunity to clean you all up at once. It’ll save me a lot of trouble later on."

Lu Jing’an listened quietly without comment, then changed the subject. "You weren’t this ’Mr. Xu’ from the very beginning, were you?"

"And why couldn’t I be?" Bai Ting retorted. Then, as if remembering something amusing, his tone lifted slightly.

"Speaking of which, I have you to thank for my final decision to come here myself."

"Oh?"

"You’re the one who told me that the Snake Demon underwater wasn’t under your control, but had mutated due to the influence of a Spirit Nest."

Bai Ting said slowly, his gaze seemingly piercing the dense fog to land on Lu Jing’an.

"It was those words that convinced me I had to come here in person, to see this Spirit Nest with my own eyes, and... to personally eliminate some hidden threats."

Hearing this, Lu Jing’an suddenly let out a low laugh.

Before the laughter could fade...

"BOOM! RUMBLE—!"

Several deafening explosions suddenly erupted from the direction of the docks!

Even through the fog and distance, the orange flash of the explosions was faintly visible, and a slight tremor ran through the ground beneath their feet.

The composed smile on Bai Ting’s face instantly froze. A frosty glint passed through his eyes. "You controlled that Snake Demon and had it attack my Ironclad Ships?"

At that moment, the Yin Mountain County docks were in chaos.

The Bai Family Army’s fleet, which had been in a fierce firefight with the Water Patrol Bureau and the Public Security Bureau, was violently interrupted by massive waves that suddenly churned up from the center of the river!

From the muddy river water, an immense black shadow burst forth, sending a shower of water into the air.

It was a giant snake, over twenty zhang long, with a body thicker than a water vat!

The fearsome fleshy crest behind its neck fanned out like a banner, its vertical pupils glowing with a cold, violent, bloody light.

It appeared without warning and, with the force of a thunderbolt, slammed viciously into the side of the nearest Ironclad Ship!

"CRACK—!"

The grating sound of twisting wood and metal was enough to set one’s teeth on edge. The Ironclad Ship was knocked into a sharp tilt, and the soldiers aboard screamed as they tumbled into the river.

The giant snake didn’t pause. It opened its massive maw and swallowed several of the fallen men whole.

Then, with a sweep of its long tail, it dove back underwater.

A moment later, it capsized another Ironclad Ship from below!

Lu Jing’an didn’t answer Bai Ting’s question directly. He just said coolly, "What do you think?"

Understanding the cause and effect, Bai Ting didn’t fly into a rage.

On the contrary, that brilliant smile returned to his face, even brighter than before.

Bai Ting shook his head and sighed. "Lu Jing’an, oh, Lu Jing’an. I find myself admiring you more and more.

How about I give you a chance?

Follow me from now on. After I’m gone a hundred years from now...

...it’s not impossible that this Defense Command... could be passed into your hands."

Lu Jing’an also shook his head, his tone utterly calm.

"You’re a Blood Cultivator with a long lifespan. I’m afraid the grass on my grave will be a zhang tall, and you’ll still be as dashing as ever.

An empty promise like that is just a way to get another obedient dog."

"A dog?"

Bai Ting raised an eyebrow, his voice growing cold.

"Being a dog is better than being a dead man.

It seems you still haven’t grasped that point.

A pity. I never give people a second chance.

Giving you two was already an exception.

Since you don’t cherish it... I’ll have to ask you to die."

The moment his voice fell.

"BOOM! BOOM!"

From the docks, two more explosions sounded in quick succession, flames soaring into the sky.

With that, all four of the armed Ironclad Ships Bai Ting had brought were completely destroyed, their wreckage slowly sinking into the muddy river.

The Water Patrol Bureau vessels, which had been lying in wait, quickly moved out and completely blockaded the entire river surface.

Beams from searchlights pierced the fog, sweeping back and forth.

"It seems you really think you have me in the bag."

Listening to the distant explosions and commotion, Bai Ting’s tone finally turned completely glacial, devoid of any warmth.

Lu Jing’an said nothing more.

’The conversation just now was merely to stall for time, to confirm that the river blockade was in place.’

’Now that the objective has been achieved, what more is there to say?’

"Fire!" he ordered crisply.

"RAT-A-TAT-TAT—!" "BANG! BANG! BANG!"

The order was given, and gunfire erupted!

Dozens of guns from the Water Patrol Bureau spat fire simultaneously.

The roar of two machine guns was particularly piercing as they formed a crossfire.

Like scythes swung by the Grim Reaper, the bullets instantly blanketed the area where Bai Ting stood!

However, faster than the bullets were twenty phantom-like figures that shot out from the shadows behind Bai Ting!

Nineteen of them, moving at speeds far beyond that of ordinary people, unhesitatingly formed a human wall with their bodies, shielding the seated Bai Ting completely.

As the bullets struck them, they produced crisp "CLANG! CLANG!" sounds, as if hitting iron plates!

Amidst showers of sparks, the deformed slugs fell harmlessly to the ground.

The last man, however, landed with the force of a falling mountain not far in front of Lu Jing’an.

This man’s build was extremely burly, almost unnaturally so.

The muscles on his bare torso were gnarled like the roots of an old tree, and a dark red energy seemed to flow faintly beneath his skin.

He exuded a palpably dense Evil Qi that was so intense it even pushed back the surrounding fog.

Most striking were his eyes. They were not black and white, but a murky yellow, like those of a savage tiger.

They were now locked onto Lu Jing’an, filled with wildness and brutality.

Bai Hu!

Lu Jing’an had seen this face in Leopard One’s fragmented memories.

This was the living weapon under Bai Ting’s command, a killing machine that walked the mortal world, implanted with the spine and Essence Blood of a Demon Tiger.

The Demon Martial Artist, Bai Hu!

"If you want to touch the Commander, you’ll have to get through me first," Bai Hu said, his voice raspy and low, like grinding stones.

From within the human wall, someone had brought a wide Grandmaster’s Chair for Bai Ting.

Bai Ting sat down leisurely, even taking a moment to straighten his cuffs.

Only then did he look up at Lu Jing’an, his voice coming through the human wall. "You want to kill me? Beat him first."

Bai Ting paused, then added as if recalling some trivial matter, "Oh, and you’d better be quick. Because over at the docks... I’ve prepared a few other little toys."

As if to prove his words—

"HISS—ROAR!"

A pained and furious cry suddenly came from the docks—it was the giant snake’s voice!

The river’s surface churned violently as the giant snake, which had been so terrifyingly dominant just moments before, shot out of the water.

Its enormous body was now covered in countless grotesque, blackish-gray fish!

These fish demons were no bigger than the palm of a hand, but their mouths were filled with sharp teeth.

They latched tightly onto the snake’s scales, tearing and gnawing madly.

The tough scales, which even bullets had trouble piercing, were torn apart as if made of paper under the fish demons’ teeth. Blood instantly stained a large patch of the river red.

At the same time, more short demons resembling Water Monkeys with crimson eyes crawled out from the water’s edge, letting out strange "CHEEP CHEEP" cries as they fearlessly charged the Public Security Bureau’s defensive line on the shore!

The Water Patrol Bureau boats on the river were also being boarded and attacked by scattered fish demons and Water Monkeys. The situation reversed in an instant.

Bai Ting looked at Lu Jing’an, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold arc. "You’re not the only one... who can control demons."

Through the shared vision of the Snake Demon, Lu Jing’an had already taken in the sudden turn of events at the docks.

Lu Jing’an’s eyes narrowed. Without any further hesitation, he barked at Director Liu beside him, "Maintain suppressive fire on the human wall!"

Before his voice had even faded, Lu Jing’an’s figure shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.

Leaving an afterimage in his wake, he took the initiative and charged violently toward the Evil Qi-wreathed Bai Hu!