Chapter 144: The Bloodstained Night

The distant sounds of battle raged on. Whether it was the Legion of Havoc or the special forces, everyone was giving their all. The conflict in this small corner was exceptionally fierce. No one noticed that on the edge of the battlefield, nearly twenty special forces soldiers had surrounded a figure in black, yet not one of them dared to step forward.

"Is that all the courage you guys from the Special Alliance have?" Xie Liu feigned disappointment with a mocking sneer, though his eyes darted rapidly in all directions. He was searching for an opening. While these men were not particularly strong, even an elephant could be brought down by a swarm of ants. If Xie Liu were to annihilate them all, he would likely have to pay a price.

The previous slaughter had intimidated his opponents, achieving Xie Liu's goal. Despite being encircled by over twenty men, none of them dared to rush him; no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.

"The guys from the Legion of Havoc should be arriving soon," Xie Liu thought, glancing at the firelight in the distance. Having caused such a commotion here, it was impossible for the Legion not to send someone to investigate. They were exactly who he was waiting for.

Sure enough, as Xie Liu looked toward the glow, five figures shimmering with brilliant light flashed into view, racing toward the scene. Xie Liu knew that was the appearance of the United Task Force’s combat suits when fully powered.

"Enemy attack!" The special forces soldiers seemed to have spotted the incoming task force as well. Someone roared, and half of them immediately turned to intercept the approaching soldiers.

The five figures racing toward them appeared to be a single squad; their pace was uncannily synchronized. When they reached a point thirty meters away, the leader raised a hand and shouted, "Havoc!"

At the cry, intense light erupted from the five, reflecting off one another. The next second, countless beams shot out, weaving into a web of fire that blanketed the special forces soldiers before them. Caught off guard, some were struck down while others scrambled in panic.

Xie Liu’s eyes flickered slightly. He knew what these lights were. It was said that every legion possessed its own unique combined attack skill, developed over long periods by the super-powered individuals within their ranks. Utilizing the specialized combat suits unique to their legion, they could maximize the power of these joint techniques.

Though there were only five of them, the power of their first strike was immense. The twenty-plus special forces soldiers were forced to abandon Xie Liu and turn to deal with the reinforcements. After weathering the first wave, the group split in half to engage the five members of the Legion of Havoc.

"Havoc!" the leader of the five shouted again. A second round of fire swept across the field. This time, the special forces were prepared, and there were no casualties.

"Spread out! Don't bunch up! Move in groups of three and advance from all directions!" a commander began to direct them. Xie Liu turned his gaze toward the commander and nodded slightly; the fellow’s ability to identify a counter-strategy so quickly showed genuine talent.

Xie Liu could no longer intervene. While the Legion’s combined attacks were powerful, they were indiscriminate. If he were to rush in now, he would likely be struck down by the Legion’s own fire before he could finish off his enemies. Since the Legion was handling these twenty men for him, Xie Liu was happy to remain idle. He sheathed his long blade and signaled for Wang Qi, who was still hiding behind a tree, to come out.

Wang Qi had never seen such a scene. The ground covered in corpses and blood bore witness to the brutality of the fight. The special forces were incredibly resilient; unless their bodies were completely destroyed, it was hard to kill them quickly. Consequently, Xie Liu’s strikes had been heavy—those lying on the ground had been cleaved in two or even into several pieces. Even so, two soldiers were still clinging to life, their severed torsos rolling on the dirt.

Wang Qi’s face turned deathly pale. As he approached Xie Liu, he looked at him with a hint of fear. Xie Liu understood his perspective; Wang Qi had not experienced much war, so such a reaction was normal.

"Don't think of me as cruel. If they had captured you or me, they would have been far more brutal," Xie Liu said, wiping blood from his cheek as he shifted his gaze from Wang Qi’s pale face back to the battlefield.

The five from the Legion of Havoc were gaining the upper hand. Although the special forces were more numerous, the cramped terrain hindered them. After being hit by several rounds of combined attacks, half of them were already wounded.

Conversely, the five Legion soldiers were formidable. Beyond their light-web attacks, lightning-like arcs of energy connected their combat suits. They moved in perfect unison, coordinating flawlessly. Despite several charges by the special forces, they showed no signs of disorder. With calculated advances and retreats, they utilized their combined skills repeatedly, forcing the special forces back step by step.

Watching from afar, Xie Liu couldn't help but sigh. While the individual prowess of the United Task Force fighters might not match the hunters of the Hunting Squad, in a large-scale engagement, the Task Force was far superior. This was the difference between a standing army and mercenaries. Xie Liu had to admit that while many looked down on the United Task Force, their strength was not to be underestimated.

After the two sides had traded blows for a long time, Xie Liu said to Wang Qi, "Alright, it’s time to move. The enemy is about to lose."

"That’s impossible!" Wang Qi said in astonishment. "The special forces haven't lost many men, and they've already closed in on those five. They seem to have the upper hand, so how could they be losing?"

Xie Liu shook his head. "Though their commander has some talent, he is far inferior to the Legion’s command."

"Yes, they haven't lost many men, but nearly every one of them is wounded, and their stamina is exhausted," Xie Liu patted Wang Qi’s shoulder and added slowly, "You still have much to learn."

"Those five from the Legion of Havoc have a large appetite. Do you think that’s the full extent of their combined attack’s power? They only wounded them rather than killing them for two reasons: to weaken their combat effectiveness, and to make the enemy believe they still have a chance at victory. If there had been massive casualties in the first round, these soldiers would have scattered like birds and beasts. Even with the Legion’s strength, they couldn't have wiped them all out. It’s better to lure them in, slowly wear them down, and then annihilate them in one go."

"You can do that?" Wang Qi asked, incredulous. Xie Liu shook his head and said, "Show weakness to hide strength; that is the way to win on the battlefield." Seeing Wang Qi’s blank expression, Xie Liu gave a wry smile. "Or as we often say, playing the pig to eat the tiger."

"Oh." Whether Wang Qi understood or not, he at least acknowledged Xie Liu’s words. "If they had it all planned out, why did you have to intervene?"

"Good question." Xie Liu was currently keeping a wary eye on the special forces, which was his moment of leisure. Being someone who couldn't sit still, and with an inquisitive Wang Qi around, he was happy to answer to pass the time.

"First, even if the Legion of Havoc plans for everything, there will always be a few who slip through the cracks. My job is to finish those off. Second, the combined skills likely require time to recharge, and I can buy them a little breathing room."

"And most importantly, I'm bored!" Xie Liu gave a wicked grin. Wang Qi rolled his eyes, frustrated by the last point. After all that talk, it turned out Xie Liu just wanted something to do.

After speaking, Xie Liu moved his left hand from behind his back to the front, his thumb pressing against the hilt of his newly sheathed blade, pushing it open just a fraction to reveal a sliver of cold light. "Time to strike."

The situation shifted as soon as he spoke. The commander of the special forces seemed to sense a problem and began ordering his men to disperse. At that moment, Xie Liu moved. He hunched his body, burst into a sprint, and gripped the hilt of his blade.

*Clang.*

With a sharp ring, the blade left its sheath. In an instant, two flashes of steel pierced the air. The two soldiers at the rear didn't even react before they were cut in half.

"Defend! Defend!" Although the commander had anticipated an attack, he hadn't expected Xie Liu to be so fast. He frantically ordered the remaining men to turn and block him, but a mere handful of soldiers couldn't stop him. Xie Liu surged forward, carving through the defensive line. Blood sprayed, limbs flew, and four or five soldiers fell in quick succession.

"We can't hold him! This guy is too strong!" someone screamed. The commander cursed, "Useless trash! Hold the line! The Master will be here soon. Just hold on for a few minutes—I refuse to believe this guy can kill us all!"

"Everyone, prepare! Dense formation! Block him!" The commander changed tactics on the fly. Against a powerhouse like Xie Liu, splitting up only meant being slaughtered one by one.

As the order was given, the remaining special forces huddled together, half guarding against the Legion fighters in the rear, half guarding against the god-of-death-like Xie Liu.

Yet at that moment, Xie Liu retreated. He stopped attacking and fell back rapidly, a triumphant smile on his face.

"What's happening?" The commander was stunned, confused by Xie Liu's intent. But he understood in the next second. The light radiating from the five Legion soldiers surged, and as they merged their energy, they wove together the most brilliant beam of light yet.

"It's a trap!"

The Legion of Havoc would not waste such an opportunity. The five stepped forward in unison and roared, "Havoc!"

This time, the woven light was far more powerful than before. The crossing beams formed a web of fire that completely engulfed the special forces squad. Unsurprisingly, there were heavy casualties; over a dozen were pierced through the chest and died on the spot, while those lucky enough to survive were severely wounded.

"Lord Blood Maple!" the leader of the special forces roared in grief and rage. The "Master" he had been counting on never appeared; only the screams of his men echoed in the darkness.

"Run!" someone shouted. The few remaining soldiers lost their will to fight and fled in all directions.

"Don't run! Get back here!" the commander bellowed. He had been pierced through the right shoulder by a beam and was now combat-ineffective. Seeing his last few men scattering, he realized the situation was hopeless and burst into tears. "Master, where are you?"

Xie Liu hadn't retreated too far. Seeing a few soldiers escape the Legion's fire zone, he took two steps forward, raised his blade, and surgically eliminated those attempting to flee.

Only the commander was left. His strength was clearly higher than the others, which was why he had survived. Xie Liu walked toward him, blade in hand. In the distance, he saw the five Legion soldiers lower their weapons, gasping for air; their physical exertion had clearly been immense.

Xie Liu nodded at them. These were true warriors, worthy of respect. In turn, Xie Liu's performance had won their recognition, and they nodded back.

"The battle is over. We won." Xie Liu stopped before the commander. The man was young, currently unable to move due to the beam wounds on his shoulder and thigh.

"Don't get cocky! The Master will avenge us!" This young, delicate-looking soldier couldn't have been more than seventeen or eighteen—younger than Xie Liu. This was an age meant for dreaming of the future in school, but as a special forces soldier, he had been sent to the front lines. Lying among the corpses of his comrades, he stared back with burning hatred.

This was the battlefield. There was no pity; mercy did not exist.

Xie Liu raised his blade, his gaze unwavering. The boy-like soldier continued to curse him.

Just then, Xie Liu heard a furious shout from nearby: "Let's see who dares touch my subordinate!"

Xie Liu froze slightly, turning his gaze toward the depths of the night. A dark red light appeared in the darkness, and in moments, it arrived behind the five Legion soldiers.

"Master!" the young commander cried out in joy. The newcomer was clearly the "Blood Maple" he had mentioned—a B-rank special forces officer.

Xie Liu’s brow furrowed. The person he feared had arrived after all. The five fighters, detecting the enemy, immediately turned to face the newcomer.

"Get out of my way!" After a roar of rage, a dark red light swept through. One of the five screamed as he and his weapon were sliced in two.

Xie Liu’s pupils contracted. This man was incredibly powerful; in a single strike, so fast that no one saw it clearly, he had executed one of the five.

"You all shall die!" A towering figure stood amidst the remaining four, dark red energy swirling around his hands. In two swift movements, the remaining four fighters were left with no chance to resist—two were killed, and two were wounded.

Xie Liu couldn't save them. He was too far away, and it all happened too quickly. He could only watch as the last two wounded fighters were slaughtered.

All five had fallen in under five seconds.

"Master!" the wounded young commander shouted in delight. "You finally..."

Before he could finish, Xie Liu's blade descended. The young commander's head flew high into the air, landing amidst the pile of corpses with a final look of shock.

"How dare you!" Blood Maple, having just pulled his sword from a corpse, witnessed Xie Liu decapitate his subordinate. That was his most valued subordinate; though not strong yet, he had potential, and he hadn't expected him to die at the hands of this man in black.

However, the enraged Blood Maple did not lose his reason. He knew that the man in black before him was a formidable adversary.

Xie Liu had beheaded the commander and now lifted his head, locking eyes with Blood Maple. His eyes, cold and blood-red like twin lanterns in the dark, were filled with murderous intent.

The next moment, Xie Liu raised his blade, pointed it at Blood Maple, and said coldly, "Speak your last words."