68: Chapter 68 Sneak Attack, Third-Tier Imposter

Lin Mo didn't say a word.

He simply turned his head to look at the corpse lying on the ground nearby.

Lao Hei.

The veteran who had followed Wu Feng for five years, the man who always said with a chuckle, "Lin Mo, your saber techniques are much better than mine, kid," was now lying in a pool of blood. A large hole gaped in his chest, and his eyes remained open, staring at the grey sky.

He could no longer see.

"Lin Mo."

"Lao Hei is dead."

Wu Feng's voice came from the side; his expression was grim, and his eyes were rimmed with red as he looked at Lao Hei's body.

Lin Mo also felt a pang of sorrow.

Just yesterday, this guy was fighting him for braised pork in the cafeteria, but now he lay here, devoid of life.

The joy of victory is always fleeting.

The surrounding veterans slowly gathered, and no one spoke anymore.

Even the veteran who had been laughing just a moment ago was no longer smiling.

At that moment—

The ground beneath their feet suddenly vibrated slightly.

Lin Mo's pupils constricted sharply.

"Scatter!"

As he shouted, he retreated violently.

The ground cracked open.

Right where he had been standing, a greyish-black figure lunged out from underground, its sharp claws tearing through the air as it aimed directly for his throat!

It was too fast.

So fast that the surrounding veterans couldn't react at all.

So fast that Wu Feng's warning of "Watch out!" had barely left his mouth before the claws were already in front of Lin Mo.

Lin Mo's body reacted instinctively—

Void Step, activate!

His body instantly transformed into an illusory mist.

The claws passed through his shoulder, creating a blurred trail of light and shadow.

Everyone was shocked, thinking Lin Mo was finished.

But the claws had only pierced through an afterimage.

Lin Mo's body had turned into mist at the last second, and the fatal blow missed its mark.

"Etherealization? Interesting."

The Mimic landed and, without a moment's pause, spun around for another strike, this time aiming straight for Lin Mo's chest.

Lin Mo had just exited the Void Step state; his body was still reforming from the mist, making it impossible to etherealize again.

There was no time to dodge.

He gritted his teeth and raised his saber to block—

"Bang!"

Claws and blade collided, erupting in a shower of sparks. A massive force surged from the blade, sending Lin Mo flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing into a pile of rubble amidst a cloud of dust.

The Mimic stood its ground, licking its claws as its dark red eyes fixed on Lin Mo.

"Little Tier 2 insect, weren't you acting all high and mighty just now?"

It took a step forward.

The aura of a late-stage Tier 3 was released without reservation, making the surrounding air feel as if it had frozen.

Then, under the shocked gazes of everyone, its arms began to twist and deform. Its skin split open, revealing pitch-black muscle beneath that writhed, stretched, and split like living things—

Two pitch-black tentacles grew from the severed arm areas.

Each was as thick as an arm, covered in fine barbs with tips as sharp as spears. They swayed slowly in the air, making a "hissing" sound as they cut through the wind like two hungry black snakes.

"What... what the hell is that?!" someone couldn't help but exclaim.

The Mimic tilted its head, savoring the fear on their faces.

"Never seen this before?" It laughed.

"The human body is too fragile. True power should look like this—"

Before it could finish, both tentacles shot out simultaneously!

Fast as lightning!

Their target was Lin Mo, who had just climbed out of the rubble!

At that moment—

A figure rushed in from the side!

It was the veteran who had patted Lin Mo's shoulder earlier!

His face was covered in blood, he was missing a front tooth, and his smile usually whistled, but he wasn't smiling now. He stared deathly at the two tentacles and, with all his strength, threw himself between Lin Mo and the attack!

"No—!"

Lin Mo's pupils constricted instantly. Just as his shout left his mouth, the two tentacles had already pierced through the veteran's chest.

One pierced the left chest and exited through the back.

The other pierced the lower abdomen and exited through the side of the waist.

The veteran's body suddenly stiffened, and blood gushed from his mouth, staining his chin red.

He looked down at the two writhing tentacles in his chest, then looked up at Lin Mo.

His lips moved slightly, as if he were trying to smile.

"Kid... this time... I've... repaid you for that strike earlier..."

Lin Mo's eyes instantly turned red.

"No!!"

He lunged forward and slashed at the two tentacles!

A flash of saber light passed, and the tentacles were severed!

The Mimic roared in pain and retracted its stumps, which sprayed grey-black blood.

But the veteran's body had already gone limp.

Lin Mo caught him and knelt on the ground.

Two bloody holes gaped in the veteran's chest, blood gushing out like a spring that couldn't be stopped. His eyes were beginning to glaze over, but he struggled to keep them open, looking at Lin Mo's face.

"What... what was it again..." he gasped, blood constantly welling from the corners of his mouth.

"Lin... Lin Mo, right..."

Lin Mo gritted his teeth so hard he couldn't speak.

The veteran raised his hand and tremulously patted Lin Mo's shoulder, the force as light as a falling leaf.

"Good... good name..."

His hand dropped.

His eyes remained open, staring at the sky.

But the light was gone.

The surroundings fell into a dead silence.

Only the distant sounds of fighting and the crackling of burning flames could be heard.

Wu Feng stood nearby, watching this scene, his lips trembling violently.

The surrounding veterans all had bloodshot eyes, their fists clenched white.

Lin Mo lowered his head.

No one could see his expression clearly.

But everyone felt an extremely oppressive aura slowly rising from him.

It was killing intent.

A killing intent so thick it was almost tangible.

He looked up.

Those eyes were now burning with golden flames.

Starlight Moon Condensation, activate!

Lightning Flash, activate!

In the next second, the aura around Lin Mo began to climb. Golden electric arcs shot out from his hair, crackling loudly, each flash illuminating the dried blood on his face.

The collar of his combat uniform flapped loudly in the airflow, revealing the bulging veins on his neck.

It was as if tiny thunder dragons were swimming beneath his skin, roaring and struggling to break free.

The killing intent around him was solidifying at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Boom!"

An invisible shockwave exploded outward with Lin Mo at its center!

The rubble on the ground was sent flying thirty feet high, blasted into powder by lightning while still in mid-air. Dead branches and withered leaves were swept up by the fierce wind, scattering in all directions, and were ignited by electric arcs before they could even land, turning into sparks like a reverse meteor shower.

The previously arrogant Mimic was stunned.

It felt a sense of pressure from this human that shouldn't exist within a Tier 2 lifeform.

...