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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 23: [A Generous Gift]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Six figures emerged from the slope on the other side of the valley.
Four of them wore black armor, their equipment far superior to the standard Mountain Patrol Group issue.
The remaining two wore ordinary iron armor, heavily worn and clearly belonging to locals.
One of them whistled, and three powerful raptors, their tawny feathers puffed out, raced from the dense forest.
Their thick legs propelled them at incredible speed.
Qin Ming recognized them as mutant creatures bred at Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge.
He had even seen the three men in front riding Ground Chickens across the mountains yesterday.
"Brother, your skills are impressive. Holding the valley entrance alone and slaying the Blood Snake was truly courageous and decisive," said a young man in fine armor.
Qin Ming ignored him.
The man still held a stiff bow, which he had only lowered moments ago after trying to shoot Qin Ming with an iron arrow.
"My apologies for earlier. I acted impulsively, wanting to test your skills. It was indeed a rude gesture."
Qin Ming looked at the young man with the bow. "Do you even believe those words yourself?"
"Eh? Judging by your voice, you're quite young. To have already achieved Second Awakening at such a young age, your future is limitless," the young man exclaimed, staring at Qin Ming's face, which was concealed by a black cloth.
He knew that in such a remote area, a young man with such accomplishments must be exceptionally gifted.
The young man sheathed his black greatbow.
He recognized the boy before him as a talent and said, "Brother, I admit I was rash earlier. My elder brother was injured in the mountains and urgently needs a spiritual resources to recover. Concern clouded my judgment, and in my desperation, I attacked you."
Qin Ming remained unmoved.
In a moment of desperation, he would casually kill another?
Such an explanation was pale and feeble, nothing more than a reflection of his cold and callous nature, utterly indifferent to the lives of others.
He quickly stuffed the Blood Snake into a leather pouch and said, "Since this was a misunderstanding, may I leave now?"
"Brother, there's no need to rush. Perhaps we could become friends. You might not know, but we're from Chi Xia City..." The young man's intention to recruit Qin Ming was obvious.
Qin Ming remained silent, quietly observing the group.
The young man's elder brother, whom he had addressed as such, seemed to be genuinely unwell, his complexion a sickly bluish-black.
Qin Ming's heart stirred.
The bluish-black skin tone looked eerily familiar.
After he had fallen into the crevice, he had suffered a similar illness, just like this man.
The young man chuckled. "Brother, now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, and we do need the spiritual resources, we won't take the Blood Snake you hunted for free. I'd like to invite you to join us. We'll definitely compensate you later."
Qin Ming really wanted to slap him across the face.
Was this guy trying to get him to hand over the spiritual resources and then force him to serve them?
Seeing Qin Ming's lack of enthusiasm, the young man casually touched his sword hilt, while the others shifted their feet, spreading out.
Qin Ming spoke up. "This isn't Chi Xia City. No one else is watching. You don't need to be so hypocritical. I'll just ask one thing: Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, can I leave?"
The young man's face turned cold, and his words became curt. "You're being ungrateful!"
Qin Ming stripped off the two layers of armor he was wearing to lighten his load, fearing it would affect his speed.
He slung the leather bag over his shoulder and quickly secured it.
He examined the longsword in his hand. It had actually chipped while cutting the Blood Snake, and the tips of several iron spears were damaged, a testament to the hardness of the Blood Snake's crimson scales.
The group's expressions turned cold.
Some drew Greatswords from their backs, while others raised longbows and other weapons.
Now that they had turned hostile, they were clearly preparing to fight.
Only the youth with the ashen complexion remained motionless, gazing toward the dense forest in the distance.
"So you didn't flee," he said, "but waited for the other Blood Snake to return, hoping it would indiscriminately attack us and indirectly help you? Very well, I admit I need these Blood Snakes. I won't let it escape back to the valley."
At that moment, a crimson glow erupted from the forest.
The fiery red serpent had returned.
It hadn't pursued its prey relentlessly, knowing that the frigid temperatures would slow it down if it lingered too long.
Seeing his plan exposed, Qin Ming made no attempt to hide his intentions.
He hurled the iron spear in his hand with lightning speed.
The others, who had been on guard, either ducked behind trees or prepared to block the spear with their weapons.
But they soon realized the spear wasn't aimed at them.
With three muffled thuds, the iron spear pierced the bodies of three Ground Chickens, sending blood splattering everywhere.
Just then, the Blood Snake arrived nearby.
Seeing the group blocking its path, it reared up on its hind legs and fearlessly launched its attack.
The youth with the ashen complexion spoke, "You deal with the boy. I'll take care of this Blood Snake. The more spiritual resources, the better."
"Big Brother, are you sure your body can handle it?" the young man who had been speaking earlier asked, concerned about his well-being.
The young man drew a longsword and replied, "I entered the special node voluntarily to explore. This isn't an accidental injury. I can still endure this level of pain."
Qin Ming, seeing the Blood Snake arrive, attacked with near-mad fury, no longer hesitating.
He turned and fled, charging along his predetermined escape route.
The others naturally joined the fray, while the young man who had been firing arrows earlier began drawing his bow again.
Qin Ming dodged through the dense forest, using various trees as cover.
But once both sides began sprinting at full speed, it became difficult for the young man to continuously draw iron arrows from his quiver and nock them without slowing down.
The man with the ashen-green complexion was indeed formidable. Wielding his longsword, he parried the Blood Snake's attacks, unleashing brilliant sword light that instantly left several wounds on the serpent's body.
The few who had been pursuing Qin Ming turned back to witness this scene, their minds put at ease.
Qin Ming zigzagged through the forest, following the pre-scouted path, racing through the night.
He had already realized that this group was a tough opponent.
Among his pursuers, two had already undergone Second Awakening.
One of them was incredibly fast, closing in on him rapidly.
Qin Ming was strong enough in terms of power, but he wasn't a true Second Awakener.
His speed still lagged behind.
The young man who had been speaking earlier was also a Second Awakener.
Because he had fired a few cold arrows, he had fallen slightly behind.
When they reached a dense forest where branches blocked their path, Qin Ming carefully scanned the area and chose the only clear path to charge through.
Clearly, the pursuers wouldn't waste time hacking away at the obstructing branches.
Instead, they followed Qin Ming's path, relentlessly pursuing him.
"Aaaah!"
Suddenly, the Second Awakener in the lead let out a bloodcurdling scream.
He collapsed painfully in the snow, his face contorted in agony.
His right foot had been pierced by an iron spear hidden beneath the snow. Blood gushed from the wound, and the spear's sharp tip, stained crimson, had completely penetrated his foot, making the injury look terrifying.
Qin Ming had prepared for the worst-case scenario, burying three iron spears in advance in this area of obstructing branches.
He hadn't expected them to actually be used.
The only clear path was naturally the one Qin Ming had cleared himself by breaking the nearby branches.
However, setting up the iron spears in the snow and hoping an opponent would step on them required a stroke of luck.
This man had inadvertently dodged two spears in a row, only to step on the third.
Running at full speed, his fate was sealed — his entire right foot was ruined.
The remaining pursuers watched in horror, their pupils shrinking as if they could feel the searing pain in their own right feet.
A wave of fear washed over them.
The young man who had been speaking earlier wore a grim expression, grinding his teeth as he snarled, "Don't wander off! Follow his footprints!"
He was a ruthless man.
Ignoring his injured companion, he hefted his Greatsword and charged after Qin Ming, gradually closing the distance with his superior speed.
He had long realized that Qin Ming's speed was clearly inferior to his own.
This led him to conclude that while Qin Ming was also a Second Awakener, his strength was weaker than theirs.
"He's just a awakener from a remote,.small place. Without secret Meditation Techniques or Intent Qi Cultivation Techniques, even as a Second Awakener his potential won't too high." This thought fueled his determination to continue the pursuit.
Qin Ming knew he would be caught sooner or later.
Rather than wait, he decided to take the initiative.
He deliberately slowed his pace, intending to eliminate the most dangerous threat first.
"Still running, huh? You ungrateful bastard! I only wanted a few Blood Snakes. It's better than losing your life, isn't it?" The young man approached with a cold expression.
The other two from Chi Xia City and the pair from Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge, having only undergone awakening once, couldn't match his speed and lagged far behind, still struggling to catch up.
Qin Ming didn't answer.
He charged forward with his long-handled Black Gold Hammer, determined to end the fight quickly.
His greatest concern remained the youth who had been fighting the Blood Snake alone.
Despite his physical condition, the youth remained the most dangerous opponent.
Snow exploded in the forest as Qin Ming unleashed his full strength.
The first strike of his Black Gold Hammer stunned the young man, leaving his sword-wielding right hand numb.
"How could this youth, whose speed was slower and whose physical attributes should clearly be inferior after his Second Awakening, possess such immense strength?"
Qin Ming remained highly focused, giving his all. Though the long-handled Black Gold Hammer was heavy, he wielded it with such skill that it seemed like streaks of black lightning weaving through the night.
The young man was formidable, clearly no pushover. He was far more skilled than Fu Entao.
After his initial setback, he swiftly launched a counterattack.
To his shock, he discovered that this youth from a remote region was far from the clumsy fighter he had imagined.
The boy clearly possessed a devastating combat technique, wielding the heavy hammer with astonishing finesse.
His hammer techniques were extraordinary, each strike slicing through the night in an unpredictable yet highly efficient killing blow.
Then it dawned on him — this was a technique based on sword stances.
"This guy is formidable. I need to achieve Second Awakening as soon as possible!" Qin Ming thought to himself.
Suddenly, the Black Gold Hammer slipped from his grasp.
"Bang!" The young man felt the world spin, tears and snot streaming down his face.
In the instant their weapons clashed, his opponent had "slipped," and the heavy hammer had smashed into his jaw at point-blank range, shattering the bone instantly.
Enduring the excruciating pain, he forced himself to stay conscious and swung his Greatsword forward in a desperate slash.
He couldn't retreat now; he had to prevent his opponent from picking up the Black Gold Hammer.
Clearly, the hammer blow had left him dazed and disoriented.
His mind wasn't as sharp as it should have been.
By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late.
Qin Ming drew his long sword, parried the Greatsword, and with a single stroke, severed the young man's sword-wielding right arm.
Then, with a swift kick, he sent him sprawling.
Qin Ming picked up the Black Gold Hammer, said nothing, and charged forward, smashing the young man's head with a single blow.
He then collected the fallen weapons and swiftly turned to confront the remaining three opponents.
The young man with a dark complexion effortlessly killed the Blood Snake.
It wasn't arrogance; his strength was truly formidable.
Liu Huaishan led the surviving Mountain Patrolmen in a surprise attack.
After a frantic dash, they returned to the valley's edge. He reasoned that the Blood Snake would be severely weakened, and even if it wouldn't freeze in the icy wilderness, its movements would likely be sluggish.
That's why he had turned back, arriving just in time to witness the young man's victory over the Blood Snake.
The scene fell silent.
Liu Huaishan and his men hadn't expected anyone else to be here, let alone someone who had already succeeded.
Judging by the young man's demeanor, his strength was terrifying.
The young man tossed the Blood Snake to the ground and fixed his gaze on the group before him.
He raised his sword and advanced.
He had entered this area secretly, hoping to avoid attracting attention because he had enemies nearby.
He was in no condition to fight, and secrecy was paramount.
His killing intent surged.
"Friend, we mean no harm! We'll leave immediately. The Blood Snake is yours!" Liu Huaishan shouted quickly, leading his men in a hasty retreat.
He sensed the man was too dangerous. If they were forced to fight, they would be slaughtered. This single opponent could cut through them like paper.
The Mountain Patrolmen, all seasoned middle-aged men, had already nocked arrows, aimed them forward, and begun retreating at an accelerated pace.
Suddenly, the young man felt a tightness in his chest.
Exploring the special node had taken its toll on his body, and he was now extremely uncomfortable.
After taking a deep breath, he nodded, allowing the patrolmen to leave.
After a short rest, the discomfort subsided.
He immediately set off, pursuing Qin Ming in the direction he had fled.
Though snowflakes drifted through the air, they hadn't yet covered the footprints. He raced forward and soon heard a scream.
There was no suspense.
Qin Ming had killed the two Awakeners from Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge and the once-Awakened youth from Chi Xia City.
He turned back, carrying their weapons, and charged back to where he had left the Second Awakener with the iron spear through his right foot.
As the ashen-faced man appeared, he saw Qin Ming standing with his back to him, interrogating the man's companions.
Instantly, his blood surged, and fury consumed him.
He saw only one person being tortured.
Where were the others?
Where was his cousin?
Had they all been killed?
"Spit it out! Do you have the Advanced Intent Qi Cultivation Techniques or not?" Qin Ming crouched there, holding the severely injured man with one hand.
The man wanted to speak, but his mouth wouldn't open.
It had already been smashed by a hammer — clearly, the other party didn't want him to talk!
Seeing his side's strongest fighter appear, approaching silently, the man's pupils constricted as if he wanted to say something.
But then, thump!
Another hammer blow struck him, and his vision blurred, nearly sending him unconscious.
The man with the ashen face, saw that the injured man's upper body was drenched in blood, while his lower half was buried in the snow — a truly miserable sight.
Without hesitation, he accelerated his charge.
Then, with a muffled grunt, he crashed to the ground in the snow.
This time, the young man hadn't stepped on an iron spear, but on his cousin's Greatsword.
Just moments ago, Qin Ming had meticulously arranged the area. It looked like the aftermath of a fierce battle, with broken branches scattered everywhere, leaving only a few clear patches.
Those intentionally cleared patches were, of course, where he had buried iron spears, Greatswords, and long swords.
As it turned out, the setup had achieved its ideal effect.
With a resounding thump, he finished off the man with a single hammer blow, then calmly turned to face the man whose foot had been pierced by the Greatsword.
The young man with a bruised and blackened face was Wang Nianzhu, a well-known figure in Chi Xia City.
During his first awakening, he could lift a 570-jin cauldron, a feat of considerable strength.
After his Second Awakening, his arms possessed nearly 1,200 jin of power.
How could such an extraordinary individual not resent being trapped here?
Especially since the masked youth before him, whom he had dismissed as a mere country bumpkin, had inflicted such a devastating wound.
Qin Ming retreated and immediately aimed Wang Nianzhu's cousin's bow and arrow at him.
"Agh..."
With his foot pierced, Wang Nianzhu's movements were severely restricted.
Even with his immense strength, he could only endure the pain and leap, unable to maintain his original form.
Before long, he was struck by an arrow.
Moments later, Qin Ming stepped forward and used the long-handled Black Gold Hammer to crush Wang Nianzhu's head, ending his suffering.
"I actually got another Blood Snake! Thank you for the generous gift!" Qin Ming stowed the second large snake in a leather pouch.
Today's harvest had been truly bountiful.
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END OF CHAPTER
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