The target wasn't dead?!

How is that possible?! I have to escape!

In the span of a single breath, Bai Shu made his choice.

"If you dare run, I guarantee you'll die a gruesome death!"

At the sound of the voice, Bai Shu froze. He wasn't intimidated, however. He barely moved his arm, ready to react.

BANG!

A gunshot rang out. Bai Shu's wrist was struck, and a grenade dropped to the ground. It turned out he had been trying to use a grenade, but his opponent had seen right through his trick.

"If I were you, I wouldn't resort to petty ploys," Lin Mu said, a slight smile on his face as he slowly walked forward. "Shall we talk now?"

Bai Shu took a deep breath, confirming that this man was even stronger than he had imagined. But still... "It seems there's nothing for us to talk about," he said, his voice hoarse as he suppressed his rage.

"Did the Rat King not teach you that a wise man submits to the circumstances?" Lin Mu's tone was tinged with mockery.

"You..." Bai Shu shuddered and spun around, staring at Lin Mu in astonishment. "Who in the world are you? How do you know about the Rat King?"

Lin Mu toyed with the gun in his hand. "To not even investigate your target's identity properly... it seems the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps gets worse with each generation."

Taking a deep breath to quell the shock in his heart, Bai Shu said grimly, "You are strong, I'll admit, but that's an arrogant thing to say."

"In my eyes, the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps is far from invincible," Lin Mu replied with an indifferent smile. "How about a deal?"

"A Blood Rat mercenary refuses any deals with a target!" Bai Shu's stance was firm.

"Heh, you're just a bunch of sewer rats. What's with the high-and-mighty act in front of me?" Lin Mu sneered without reservation. A flash of anger glinted in Bai Shu's eyes.

"Make your decision quickly. My patience is limited," Lin Mu said, his tone growing impatient.

"I, Bai Shu, have never in my life—"

The words caught in his throat as the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his head.

Circumstances are stronger than men; a great man knows when to yield.

"Speak," Bai Shu forced out through clenched teeth, acquiescing.

Lin Mu smiled slightly. "Good. Now, who sent you?"

Bai Shu replied resolutely, "It's a rule in the Mercenary World. Even in death, we don't reveal information about our employers."

"Everyone knows the character of the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps. Since when were you known for keeping your word?" Lin Mu stated flatly. "You don't have to tell me. I can already guess who it is; I'm just looking for confirmation. Since you're unwilling to talk, you can die."

His finger tightened on the trigger.

"Go to hell!" Bai Shu roared.

However, before the bullet could leave the chamber, his head snapped to the side. He retreated two swift steps, smashing his elbow directly into Lin Mu's chest. Bai Shu wasn't just an exceptional sniper; he was also a skilled Martial Artist.

A cold sneer played on his lips. With his strength and speed, he was confident his opponent wouldn't be able to react in time.

THUD!

But his elbow felt as if it had struck solid steel. An excruciating pain shot through his arm instantly. Bai Shu's face twisted, but his reactions were just as fast. The first strike having failed, he rolled on the ground to create distance.

Just then, a fierce gust of wind—powered by Internal Energy—whipped toward the back of his head.

Such incredible speed!

With no time to think, Bai Shu ducked, trying to dodge the punch.

WHAM!

Instead, a sharp pain erupted from his back. The previous attack had just been a feint; this second punch was the real killing blow.

Bai Shu was sent flying, his body hitting the ground as immense pain wracked him.

"Cough, cough!" He struggled to his feet, clutching his chest and coughing violently.

"Not bad," Lin Mu remarked with a faint smile. "You took one of my punches and didn't die."

He had seen long ago that Bai Shu was also a Martial Artist, but a weak one, with only the strength of the Internal Energy Early Stage. He hadn't used his full strength in that punch. Otherwise, with Bai Shu's meager abilities, he would have been killed instantly.

Bai Shu stared at Lin Mu with a grave expression, sensing the immense danger emanating from him. His power was terrifyingly formidable.

"Kid, I admit our intel on you was wrong," Bai Shu said, spitting out a mouthful of bloody saliva. His body hunched slightly, like a lone wolf poised to strike. "But it's wishful thinking if you believe you can keep me here."

CRACK!

Stomping on the ground, Bai Shu used the force to launch himself forward. His hands formed into claws, striking for Lin Mu's throat and abdomen. A murderous glint shone in his eyes as his speed flared, growing even faster. At full power, he could kill any Martial Artist at his level with a single strike.

"Die!"

His Internal Energy erupted, his claws as sharp as blades!

Yet, in the next instant, Bai Shu froze, his eyes bulging. A hand had gently clamped around his neck, lifting him off the ground.

"With such paltry strength, you dare make a fool of yourself in front of me?"

As Lin Mu applied a little pressure, Bai Shu's eyes bulged even wider. The mask on his face fell away, revealing the utterly ordinary face of a middle-aged man. He was the kind of man who could disappear into any crowd.

"Rats should stay in their dark gutters. Don't scurry around carelessly, or you might just lose your life," Lin Mu said, his voice calm but laced with a chilling, bone-deep killing intent. "Your Blood Rat Mercenary Corps has come after me time and again. I will remember this. When I have time, I'll pay a personal visit to the Amazon Rainforest and wipe out your entire filthy pack."

Bai Shu's pupils dilated in shock.

This man knows where our base is? Who is he? And he's not just talking to me, he's... that's right, the communicator!

He suddenly remembered that his communicator was still active. His opponent was saying this deliberately for the organization to hear.

This guy... what arrogance! How dare he challenge the prestige of the Blood Rat Mercenary Corps!

As if reading his mind, Lin Mu leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I forgot to mention one thing. Do you know who I am?"

"I am number sixteen on the Heaven Ranking—Lin Wudi!"

Lin! Wu! Di! It's him!

Bai Shu began to struggle frantically, desperate to relay this critical information to his organization, but the hand around his neck only tightened.

CRACK!

His neck snapped.

Lin Mu casually tossed the corpse to the ground, a cold smile touching the corner of his mouth.

"Blood Rat... I hadn't even come looking for you, yet you came knocking on my door. Very well. One day, I will set foot in the Amazon and wipe you all out."

And the Dark Web, too.

Although he hadn't gotten any information from Bai Shu, he had gathered plenty of clues from the others he had dealt with earlier. Those men had been sent by the Dark Web. From what they had said, their organization had found an expert to deal with him. He hadn't expected it to be tonight, but that person had clearly been eager to make a move.

It was undeniable. If not for his incredibly powerful Divine Sense, he would have fallen into their trap. That shot was so fast that if Lin Mu had been a fraction of a second slower, it would have taken less than a second for him to be either killed or severely wounded. While ordinary firearms couldn't penetrate his defensive Gang Qi, that had been a Barrett rifle. There weren't many organizations in River City capable of deploying such a massively destructive weapon.

With Bai Shu dead, the last trace of unease in his heart vanished completely. It seemed this man had been the source of the day's greatest crisis.

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