Chapter 403: Li Ping, You're Too Bullying! (Please Subscribe)
Their eyes all fell on Wang Ru.
If they could get into the city, their stronghold was almost gone. Even if they had one, could they escape the one tracking them outside?
Suspenseful!
Given this, there were only two paths to take.
One, give up completely and flee from Anshan City. Though it was night and fierce beasts roamed the wild, even for them, there was a risk to their lives. However, they should still have no problem returning to the secret base.
Two, confront the guy outside!
But this brought up another issue.
Could they really win?
The guy outside seemed to be alone, but he dared to follow them. He had to be confident in his own strength.
Not to mention, who knew if there were others hidden in the shadows?
Wang Ru took a deep breath.
Constantly hiding wasn't an option.
It would be better to figure out what was going on. If things turned unfavorable, they could escape, and by then, the guy outside probably wouldn't catch up.
"Why did you stop running?"
The voice from outside seemed surprised.
However, to the black-robed figures inside, this question was a blatant provocation.
"Who are you!? Why are you following us!" someone asked in anger.
"Who am I?"
Chen Fan replied with a question, "Then who are you?"
"We are from another place. We heard you could stay here without paying, so we came to live here."
Another voice spoke, filled with dissatisfaction, "Friend, you've been following us from the start, like a leech. Isn't that a bit rude?"
Chen Fan laughed when he heard this and looked at the room, "I let you stay here without spending a dime. Isn't that polite enough?"
"You let us stay here?"
"What do you mean?"
"Could it be!"
Wang Ru and the rest exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing.
The person outside, could he be, could he be the chairman of the Awakened Association here?
Thinking of this, they were scared out of their wits.
They had never considered that their actions would eventually alert the local Awakened Association.
But they didn't expect it would happen so soon, and not just anybody, but the strongest member of the association himself!
"No, it can't be..."
Several black-robed figures trembled.
If the chairman of the Awakened Association was here, would the other awakeneds be far behind?
They were surrounded!
"B-big sister, maybe we should escape?"
"Yes, big sister, as the saying goes, a wise man knows when to retreat for the bigger picture."
"We can inform Lord Bishop about this. He wouldn't blame us."
Everyone chimed in with their thoughts.
"Shut up!"
Wang Ru glared at them fiercely. So what if he was the association's chairman?
In a one-on-one fight, she didn't fear him at all.
But if they left without understanding how they were discovered, they wouldn't be able to explain it to Lord Bishop.
"So it's Chairman Li," she said, "Chairman Li, your noble character truly commands our respect. However, we came here to live without ill intent. Why chase us, Chairman Li? If you don't welcome us, we'll leave early tomorrow."
"No ill intent? But I distinctly heard you planning to harm the citizens of my city, to absorb their flesh and souls as nourishment. I ask you, if that doesn't count as ill intent, then what does?"
The room fell into dead silence.
The black-robed figures' faces filled with despair.
Evidently, Chairman Li had long discovered their presence and had been eavesdropping.
And yet, they were completely unaware and full of unjustified confidence.
"Chairman Li, you must have misheard,"
Wang Ru's heart skipped a beat, but she stood firm and denied: "When did we ever say such things?"
"Ha ha ha."
Chen Fan smiled dismissively and asked, "I think I heard you mention a name, Fang Liang. Is he your companion? Has he also come here this time?"
At this, the black-robed figures were speechless.
"Chairman Li, I don't understand what you're saying. If you don't welcome us, we'll leave now. I hope you won't chase after us this time."
After Wang Ru finished speaking, she gave a signal to the others.
They couldn't stay here any longer.
They chanted a spell, and their figures vanished from the spot.
They reappeared in the wilderness.
The moon was bright and stars sparse, shadows moving around them.
"Great, we finally escaped."
Someone wiped the cold sweat off their forehead and said weakly.
"Yes, this time, he won't chase us again, right?"
"Don't say that. Your mouth seems cursed. The last two times..."
The voice trailed off.
Because not far away, a figure was quietly watching them.
"How is this possible?"
They stared wide-eyed, like they had seen a ghost.
"Who are you!"
Wang Ru's voice now carried fear.
Was this man the legendary Chairman Li?
How did he follow them?
"Haven't you already figured out who I am?"
Chen Fan's voice was calm.
"Li, Li Ping!"
Wang Ru's voice sharpened.
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
The black-robed people behind, shaking in fear, fell to the ground.
Is he a devil?
Why could he track them wherever they went?
"Li Ping! You're pushing us too far!"
Wang Ru looked around, her fear turning into anger.
In Anshan City, she had feared Li Ping wouldn't be alone, accompanied by other C-level awakeneds.
If surrounded, the consequences would be unimaginable.
But now, it seemed this guy was alone.
She could deal with that.
If she killed him, no one would know what happened today, and they could move freely in Anshan City afterward.
"Roar!"
Around them, fierce beasts roared one after another.
Friendly beasts had sensed their presence and were coming.
The black-robed figures showed panic.
It was a case of wolves in front, tigers behind.
"Tell me, how many are left in the city?"
Chen Fan asked.
After leaving the city, he could have stayed hidden and followed them to their lair to eliminate them all.
However, if another incident in the city happened, it would be bad.
So, first clearing out the city's threats and then attacking their base wasn't too late.
Hearing this, the black-robed figures grew angry.
This guy was too arrogant.
"You go ahead; I'll hold him off."
Wang Ru said, holding a black ball. Shadows flew out rapidly from it towards Chen Fan.
The others nodded at each other and quickly fled.
It was just a C-level awakener. Big sister could handle it.
And now, it's night with more beasts gathering. Staying would be a burden.
But before they got far, they heard a scream.
They saw Wang Ru on the ground, with a hole in her chest, bleeding profusely.
The black ball in her hand had also rolled away.
"Crack!"
A crispy sound, the ball crushed underfoot.
"The sacred artifact!"
Wang Ru felt heartbroken, using her last bit of strength to look at the man before her.
Her full-force attack couldn't even pierce his skin.
But his ordinary punch chilled her to the bone.
He must be more than a C-level awakened.
"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating yourself."
Chen Fan looked at her coldly, then turned his gaze to the distant figures.
"Run!"
Someone shouted and fled with all their might.
Others too, even running in different directions.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
Several thudding sounds.
More black-robed figures fell, their chests all pierced.
"Don't, don't kill me."
The remaining man collapsed on the ground, terrified.
"Chairman Li, I know my mistake, please, let me go."
Regret filled the man's heart.
Knowing how terrifying the chairman was, he wouldn't dare come close.
"How many are left in the city?"
Chen Fan asked coldly.
"Five, no, six."
"How many exactly?"
"Six, six. Including Fang Liang, six. I forgot him initially, so I said five." The man quickly explained, fearing he'd be killed next.
"Six huh."
Chen Fan nodded slightly.
That aligned with his senses.
He noticed some unfamiliar presences, similar to C-level awakeneds, in the city yesterday.
But he was searching for Jiulong City's group and didn't think they'd be threats.
Clearly, he miscalculated.
The cultists also infiltrated, killing many.
"A single flaw can cause defeat."
Trying to make the city safer led to their deaths. I didn't intend harm, but they died because of me.
Chen Fan felt deep remorse.
He reached out towards the man's head.
"You said you wouldn't kill me!" The man feared, then lost consciousness, giving all intel on Fang Liang and others.
"Bang!"
The black-robed man's head exploded, his body fell back.
"Fang Liang, huh?"
Chen Fan gazed towards Anshan City.