C22 Lin Chasing after

Three days had flown by, and each day Chu Xing roamed the battlefield, striking down enemies when their numbers dwindled and biding his time when they swelled. He had witnessed the fall of comrades right before his eyes and seen the defeated surrender under the unbearable weight of war.

The harsh reality of war was unimaginable. Chu Xing had exhausted his supply of rockets, his light weapons proved ineffective, and his poor marksmanship rendered the sniper rifle useless at long range.

Nestled in a deep pit, Chu Xing munched on his rations, reflecting on the recent events. Nearby, his clone lay in wait with a sniper rifle, vigilant of their surroundings.

A gunshot rang out, and the clone slumped into the pit. Chu Xing swiftly gathered his belongings, unsheathed his sword, and scanned the area with his psychic senses.

The bullet had struck his clone's head without leaving a mark, a testament to its defensive capabilities against the sniper's fire. At the Qi Training Third Layer, Chu Xing could sustain injuries from a sniper rifle, but his internal spiritual energy was robust enough to resist its destructive force.

Now, Chu Xing wore a helmet forged from black metal, a decision made in the wake of witnessing the grim fates of others.

Sensing no one in the immediate vicinity but aware that the enemy could descend upon him at any moment, Chu Xing knew he had to move quickly.

His clone dashed out first, drawing enemy fire. "Bang!" A bullet whizzed by the clone. Chu Xing followed suit, sprinting from the pit and swiftly disappearing into the night with the aid of the trees' cover.

"Chu Xing, there he is! After him, quickly!" Duan Dezhang bellowed, his eyes locked on Chu Xing's retreating figure as he gave chase.

Nine others joined the pursuit, with Wang Liang brandishing a sword and trailing behind. A brown-haired foreigner, clutching a sniper rifle, jogged alongside him.

"You're too slow," the foreigner taunted, breezing past Wang Liang.

"Scoff, you're heading to your doom," Wang Liang retorted, deliberately lagging behind.

Unaware of the identity of his pursuers, Chu Xing felt the pressure of their relentless chase. Bullets sporadically zipped his way as he pushed his speed to the limit. It wasn't until night enveloped the land that he finally found a haven to rest.

As night fell, Chu Xing continued his usual cultivation practice when suddenly a rustling noise startled him, prompting him to unleash his spiritual force.

"Duan Dezhang! He's still alive? And Wang Liang, the bald guy I've seen before, with a sniper rifle no less. Are they the ones hunting me down today?" Chu Xing whispered under his breath, his heart racing with anxiety.

Unsure how Duan Dezhang had managed to come back from the dead, Chu Xing knew he had to make a run for it. Being encircled by ten people was a death sentence. Without hesitation, he grabbed his belongings and bolted.

"There's someone!"

"It's Chu Xing, chase him down!"

"You won't get away, Chu Xing!"

As he fled, the words of his pursuers made it clear they were specifically after him. Chu Xing racked his brain, trying to figure out what had given him away, his urgency mounting with each passing moment.

By dawn, Chu Xing was already replenishing his spiritual energy with a spirit stone.

"This strategy isn't working; I need to take out the sniper first," he thought while running. "For now, I'll separate from my clone."

Abruptly, Chu Xing came to a halt and concealed himself among the dense foliage. When Duan Dezhang and his group came into view, Chu Xing's true self dashed off once more.

"Go after him, and be quick about it!" Duan Dezhang bellowed.

Before long, Duan Dezhang and his men were far behind, chasing Chu Xing's real body, oblivious to the mechanical clone hidden beneath the leaves.

Bringing up the rear, Wang Liang strolled along, humming a tune, when suddenly a sword appeared at his throat.

"You must be Lin Yu, the one who's always with Chu Xing," Wang Liang stammered, terror in his eyes.

The mechanical clone remained silent. It wanted to interrogate him, but that was impossible. Chu Xing had already concluded that Wang Liang was complicit in the pursuit and, worse still, had turned traitor.

As Wang Liang met the clone's icy gaze, he blurted out, "I'm not the one after you; it's all Duan Dezhang. Please, spare me, I..."

But the clone had no patience for his excuses, especially as Wang Liang lost control of his bladder in fear. With one swift strike, the clone severed his neck and silently continued the pursuit.

After his mechanical double caught up, Chu Xing began intentionally revealing himself to draw the sniper's fire. It was a risky move, but he noticed the sniper lagging further behind and decided to continue with the tactic.

As the double neared the sniper, Chu Xing paused on purpose, which resulted in a bullet striking his back, sending him tumbling forward.

The sniper's brief moment of triumph was cut short as the mechanical double materialized behind him. A single exclamation, "Ah!" was all that escaped before the double's sword severed his neck.

Duan Dezhang and his group, alerted by the noise, turned to look.

"Why is Lin Yu behind us?" Duan Dezhang inquired.

"The sniper and the waste are dead," came a voice from the group.

Chu Xing got to his feet, rubbing his back with a grin. "Stings a bit, but it was worth it."

"Duan Dezhang, still want to chase? Maybe you should take a break instead," Chu Xing called out, even giving a casual wave.

"Don't get cocky, Chu Xing. I swear, you'll die by my hand," Duan Dezhang bellowed, his gaze intensifying with malice.

"Shouldn't we pull back?" someone suggested.

Duan Dezhang fixed a deadly stare on the speaker. "Dare to retreat, and you die by my hand first."

Turning his attention back to Chu Xing, Duan Dezhang commanded his followers, "Ignore those behind us. Everyone, after Chu Xing. Keep up!" With that, he charged forward.

Chu Xing continued to evade them.

Time passed, and suddenly, Chu Xing came upon a figure lying on the ground, chest soaked in blood. "Group Leader!"

It was Lee Zijie, whom Chu Xing had met once before. Rushing to his side, Chu Xing saw the deep chest wound still oozing blood, along with several minor injuries on his shoulder. His face was ashen, his grip on the sword unyielding.

Lee Zijie managed a faint utterance upon seeing Chu Xing approach, "The forest's edge is ahead, but there are helicopters nearby."

"Group Leader, how are you holding up? Can you walk?" Chu Xing asked, bending down with concern.

"I can't go on; I've lost too much blood," Lee Zijie said wearily. Spotting the enemies pursuing Chu Xing, he added, "I'll hold them off. Find a way to get out of here."

Chu Xing felt a heavy weight in his heart. He quickly bandaged Lee Zijie's wounds with a strip of gauze and then administered a Qi Increasing Pill to him.

"You shouldn't have wasted that pill on me," Lee Zijie said, locking eyes with Chu Xing.

"I have more. We're getting out of this together," Chu Xing replied, his gaze unwavering.

"Chu Xing, there's no escape for you," Duan Dezhang and his men confronted Chu Xing, brandishing their weapons.

Chu Xing scanned them with his mental energy: one at the Qi Training Third Layer, another at the Second, and six at the First.

Drawing his sword, he challenged Duan Dezhang, "I wonder if you've got a life to spare. If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me."

Turning to the bald man, he taunted, "We meet again. Think you'll survive this time?"

The bald man, his expression complex, recalled their fierce swordplay. Avoiding Chu Xing's gaze, he declared, "This time, it's life or death."

Just then, the mechanical clone arrived, helping Lee Zijie to his feet.

Having taken the pill, Lee Zijie felt somewhat better and advised the clone, "You shouldn't have come. You two need to find a way to escape."

"Why waste words? Kill them!" Duan Dezhang charged forward, his men closing in.

The mechanical clone confronted Duan Dezhang head-on, while Chu Xing unleashed the Fire Talisman Treasure, summoning a fire dragon that soared towards an adversary at the Qi Training First Layer. Caught off guard by the talisman, the man was instantly engulfed in flames.

The rest hesitated, shocked, giving Chu Xing the chance to lunge at another with his sword. The man clumsily parried, barely managing to block.

"Don't just stand there, watch out for his Flying Sword!" Duan Dezhang yelled, narrowly avoiding a strike from the clone.

Chu Xing's blade aimed for the man's neck but, with a swift dodge, it only grazed his shoulder.

Three assailants closed in on him, one at the Qi Training Second Layer, forcing Chu Xing into a steady retreat.

The bald man and another assailant launched an offensive against Lee Zijie. Her swordsmanship was impressive, parrying each strike, but her severe injuries were taking a toll, and her strength was waning.

Duan Dezhang fought with frustration. His sword blows were ineffective against the clone, leaving him with several wounds instead. The clone's relentless attacks drove him back step by step.

Just then, a helicopter hovered overhead, its passenger wielding a machine gun aimed at them.

"Come down and help!" Duan Dezhang bellowed.

Chu Xing unleashed another talisman treasure, a fire dragon surging toward the Qi Training Second Layer practitioner, who scrambled aside in panic.

But the talisman disintegrated into ash in Chu Xing's grasp, its spiritual energy depleted.

"He's out of talisman treasures," the group realized, rallying their spirits to encircle Chu Xing once more.

"Ah!" Lee Zijie cried out as the bald man's sword pierced her.

"Go, now! They'll be here any minute. Leave me behind," Lee Zijie yelled.

Chu Xing longed to carry Lee Zijie to safety, but spotting the approaching foreigners, he exchanged a knowing look with her. With her nod, he resolutely grabbed the turtle shell and sprinted toward the forest's edge, his clone mirroring the action.

Lee Zijie let out a battle cry, mustering his last reserves of strength in a forward slash, causing the bald man and his cohorts to recoil. Charging at Duan Dezhang like a true fighter, he was quickly overpowered, a fatal thrust piercing his heart.

Chu Xing cast a backward glance, etching Lee Zijie's face in his memory. There was no time for sorrow as he dashed onward.

Machine gun fire chased after Chu Xing, but the turtle shell deflected every bullet. The projectiles showered down like rain, shredding the surrounding foliage in an instant.

Rockets pummeled the turtle shell, making it shudder with intensity.

Soon, Chu Xing reached the edge of the forest, summoned his motorcycle, and sped off into the distance with his clone at the helm.