Swallowing the Stars: The Wind Sword Master.

Chapter 2 Subtle Movement Techniques

Leaving the suburban villa, the combat team headed towards the city center along the highway.

This was the first time Ning Ze had ever seen the wilderness during the day.

The houses on both sides of the highway had completely collapsed, leaving behind a scene of ruins filled with the grayish-white cement and exposed, bright red steel bars among the rubble.

The road beneath my feet was riddled with cracks, with weeds growing more than half a meter tall inside, and strangely shaped potholes, the footprints of a monster that had run wild.

Looking into the distance.

Giant trees rose up one after another, and at the end of the road was a golden sun hanging on the mountainside.

Ning Ze remained silent.

The plants have destroyed all traces of human habitation; perhaps this scenery is natural, but it is also very primitive.

The primitive represents danger; even a patch of grass may hide a deadly threat.

If humans cannot drive away the monsters, then they must become just as powerful to survive in this wilderness.

The reality is that people have to defend against the beast tide even when they are hiding in small base cities, and only martial artists can go out and venture out.

Suddenly, Zuo Xingyuan, who was jogging, raised his right hand, and the entire team stopped in their tracks.

Zuo Xingyuan looked toward one side of the road.

There, amidst the gray ruins, was a dark figure, surrounded by large patches of blood.

"The Shadow Cat Monster has a tail that is between forty centimeters and half a meter long, and its strength is less than F-rank. If you are careful, you should be able to deal with it."

"Xiaoze, go! This is our first battle today!"

Cats are incredibly fast, and their neural reaction speed is exceptional.

If the forces are equal, and the strategy remains unchanged amidst change, humans would find it relatively easy to kill this monster.

However, Ning Ze's strength of 2200kg only puts him at the level of a beginner intermediate warrior.

This monster's strength is close to that of a high-level beast soldier, meaning it has a strength of nearly 4000 kg.

Its speed was terrifying, no less than that of a high-level beast soldier, and it was far superior to yesterday's Crimson Wildebeest.

Ning Ze's use of a longsword relies on agility, and this Shadow Cat Monster's fighting style completely counters Ning Ze's.

Before leaving, Zuo Xingyuan's words were full of comfort and encouragement, but now he showed no mercy in his actions.

In other words, he was wearing a combat suit that could protect him from the cat's claws; otherwise, he would have been brutally killed by this shadowy cat monster!

But even if they win, it will only be a Pyrrhic victory.

The other members of the War Squad remained silent, and no one voiced any objection. This was not only because Zuo Xingyuan was the captain, but also because they wanted to see Ning Ze's magnanimity.

If you're not strong enough, you might as well go back to school and train.

They can still watch now, which is a form of training. If it were a normal monster hunt, they couldn't even guarantee their own survival, so how could they possibly protect Ning Ze?

Hunting monsters in the wilderness is no joke; it's called hunting, but it's really a life-or-death struggle.

Sometimes, the prey is exchanged!

Ning Ze's pupils suddenly contracted, then he nodded heavily, tightened his grip on the longsword, and immediately took action.

He crept stealthily toward the monster.

While avoiding the hiding places of Zuo Xingyuan and others, they began to sprint forward at full speed, with their instantaneous speed exceeding 35m/s.

Ning Ze had studied various monsters extensively at school. The Shadow Cat Monster's senses were extremely sharp; it would be detected if he couldn't get close enough to it.

Rather than letting the Shadow Cat Monsters take the opportunity to ambush us, it's better to launch a direct provocation and attack, a life-or-death battle!

Seeing his courage and wisdom, Zuo Xingyuan smiled slightly.

He turned his head away.

"Old Yang, it's your turn now. This kid can even get distracted in the middle of a fight; he's still too naive and inexperienced."

Yang Chao nodded, picked up the machine gun, pressed his face against the scope, and placed his finger on the trigger, ready to fire at any moment.

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him. Even if he can't beat this Shadow Cat Monster, he should be able to protect his head and stay alive. He can't be that stupid, right?"

Xu Liang, his square face stern, a hint of sarcasm in his eyes, said, "Daring to be distracted in battle is playing with your life. I've already reported yesterday's incident to Boss Ning; that kid's going to get a scolding when he gets home!"

Ma Yu's face was grim, his eyes filled with worry. He coldly shouted, "Alright, stop talking. We're about to start. Don't disturb Yang Chao." His words were harsh, but everyone was still very concerned about Ning Ze. With the gunners protecting him, accidents could be avoided.

at this time.

Ning Ze had already rushed close, and the shadow cat monster had also assumed an attack stance.

It lay prone on the gray-white cement block, its dark fur silky and glossy, its body arching and undulating in a wave-like shape, and a 40-centimeter-long tail swaying from side to side behind it.

Those purple vertical pupils stared intently ahead, the muscles compressed to the extreme seemed ready to explode at any moment, and the ten hook-like claws in the cat's paws instantly pierced into the cement slab beneath it as if grabbing a block of tofu.

A flash of silver light appeared.

Ning Ze thrust out his longsword with a sudden burst of speed.

At the same time, a dark figure darted over at an even faster speed.

"Ding!"

A crisp, clear sound of impact.

Ning Ze's longsword was deflected to the side, and five sharp white claw shadows appeared before him.

Family members know their own affairs, and monsters can't figure out his strength, but he's different.

He was already prepared; this shadowy cat monster was nearly half as strong as him, and he couldn't possibly withstand it head-on.

He hadn't used his full strength in the previous sword strike.

The longsword was deflected, but he still had the strength to defend himself.

With a flick of the wrist, a silvery-white arc swept towards the cat's paw in mid-air.

"squeak!"

A sharp, teeth-grinding sound rang out.

Sword and claws clashed. A hint of mockery flashed in the shadow cat monster's eyes. Confirming that Ning Ze was no match for it, it continued to pounce forward.

"We've been exposed."

Ning Ze's expression remained unchanged. He drew his longsword and thrust it towards the cat's eye, abandoning his defense.

He understood his disadvantage and naturally wouldn't allow the Shadow Cat Monster to get close and fight him.

In fact, from the very beginning, he only had one way to win: to trade injury for a kill!

"Ding!"

A crisp collision sound rang out, and a dark figure used the force to retreat.

The Shadow Cat Monster leaped into the distance, spinning in mid-air, and landed facing Ning Ze, launching another attack.

Ning Ze did not choose to pursue, but instead adopted a defensive stance.

far away.

Zuo Xingyuan, who had been observing the battle, shouted in a low voice, "Old Yang, prepare to fire."

no respond.

Zuo Xingyuan frowned, feeling somewhat disappointed.

On one side are humans who have just become martial artists, with strength only at the intermediate level; on the other side are monsters whose strength is close to that of advanced beast soldiers, and who are also good at speed.

At the same level, the power difference between the two can be nearly double!

In fact, Ning Ze not only had only one way to win, but also only one chance.

That was during their first encounter.

The monster couldn't gauge Ning Ze's strength. Once it charged in and tried to escape, it would have nowhere to gain leverage in mid-air, which was its biggest weakness.

The monster, fearing a trap, dared not launch a full-scale attack in the first encounter.

If Ning Ze dares to press his advantage, he can trade blows with his weapon. Once the monster is injured, its speed will decrease, and Ning Ze, wearing his combat suit, will surely win.

Otherwise, with such a large gap in strength, Ning Ze could only protect his vitals and passively defend, and his disadvantage became more and more obvious. With his current combat experience, he had no chance of winning.

If they're lucky, they can buy some more time, but if they're weaker than the monster, they'll eventually run out of energy and die.

This test isn't just about courage, but also about making choices. You have to be ruthless with yourself! You have to dare to fight!

Clearly, in Zuo Xingyuan's eyes, Ning Ze had already chosen to give up when he retreated to defend.

Believing he had the protection of his companions, Ning Ze was not prepared to risk injury for death.

You can't always rely on your teammates; when danger comes, everyone is struggling to protect themselves.

Zuo Xingyuan frowned as he looked at the figure dodging in a disheveled manner. It was now nothing more than a desperate struggle, forced to the brink of death by the monster, and barely holding on.

It was wrong from the start, how could we possibly win?

Disadvantages will only become more and more obvious as they snowball, leaving you at the mercy of monsters.

once……

twice……

three times……

Zuo Xingyuan sighed inwardly and said in a cold voice, "Old Yang, fire!"

Nothing happened.

On the battlefield, tan figures and dark figures mingled together, amidst the churning and flying of gray-white sand.

However, this environment was nothing to the gunners.

Having spent a long career in combat, Yang Chao could at least accurately hit the Shadow Cat Monster based on its occasional fleeting shadows, if not with his eyes closed and relying solely on intuition.

Ning Ze dodged awkwardly once again, and ended up falling to the ground.

Zuo Xingyuan felt a chill run down his spine. He was ruthless in words and actions, but why would he harm Ning Ze? It was just a necessary trial.

Once you're on the ground, you can only fight at close range. The Shadow Cat Monster is known for its speed, so once it gets close, it has no chance to fight back.

If the Shadow Cat Monster were to engage in a fight, Ning Ze would be easily killed. A single claw strike to the temple could rip off his skull.

Zuo Xingyuan was terrified. His voice trembled slightly as he shouted, "Old Yang, fire!"

At the same time, he quickly glanced to his side out of the corner of his eye. Yang Chao was like a statue, staring intently at the battlefield.

It's not that they can't see the danger on the battlefield, but they just won't fire!

It wasn't just Yang Chao; everyone else seemed to be standing by and doing nothing.

Zuo Xingyuan broke out in a cold sweat, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Yes, they had agreed beforehand that once they entered the wilderness area, he, as the team leader, would play the good guy, acting as the ruthless one.

Others either act cold, stern, or even disdainful and annoyed! They stir up trouble! They play the bad cop! They manipulate people's mentality.

We need to toughen this kid up, both physically and mentally.

But given the current situation, if we don't save them now, they'll all die!

This is Brother Ning's son!

These people are truly cold-blooded!

"That movement technique..."

Zhang Chen, who was usually quiet, murmured something, his eyes gleaming.

"And you're still talking about movement techniques!"

Zuo Xingyuan was getting impatient; he was really getting angry at these people!

He dared not help now, fearing the monster would retaliate in its dying moments, and he dared not disturb Yang Chao, for this was Ning Ze's last chance to survive.

To everyone's surprise, Ma Yu nodded in agreement. His gaze was fixed on every single detail ahead, and he finally said in a low voice, "Movement technique at the 'Subtle Level,' good lad!"

When he said this, his eyes were somewhat confused. "Perfection" is just the next level after the basics, but this step seems like a chasm between heaven and earth!

Most of the powerful warriors have not reached the level of subtlety.

In the life-or-death battle with the monster, by making small movements of the body, the monster's attacks will graze past the body and not hurt you!

Because the body moves only a small amount of space, it can dodge more times in the same amount of time, making it extremely efficient.

However, this movement technique is extremely difficult! Extremely difficult! If there is even the slightest error, the monster's claws, which were originally calculated to be two centimeters away from the warrior's body, will not be able to cause any damage.

Errors can occur... The monster's claws might slice through a martial artist's body, disemboweling them! In battle against monsters, a single mistake could be fatal.

It takes countless life-or-death experiences and years of combat experience to master such skills.

The body is easy to control, but the battle is difficult to predict—this confidence comes from countless battles! It is also a special state of mind.

People without talent may struggle to grasp the essence of things even through hard work, but they may never truly understand it in their lifetime.

Talented people can master it without even realizing it. But... at least fight a few times!

Others might not know, but how could these uncles not know?

Ning Ze has only just entered the wilderness area. Yesterday, he was kicked after killing a blood-red horned horse. How could he have reached this level today?

For a fleeting moment, Ma Yu felt that the world was unreal.

But as he watched the yellowish-brown figure gradually stand up, now free from the pressure of life-or-death crisis, he was certain once again that it was Ruwei!

"Get one..."

Just as Zuo Xingyuan was about to start cursing, he saw Ning Ze stand up under the attack of the Shadow Cat Monster. He was somewhat surprised that the disadvantage had actually been reversed.

The monster was still the same monster, its white claw shadows seemingly imprinted in space, but the battle situation had completely changed.

Ning Ze ignored the Shadow Cat Monster's claws, turned gracefully as the claws brushed past him, and casually thrust his sword forward, the blade slicing through the monster's fur.

The Shadow Cat Monster roared in pain. Its ferocity was aroused, and its actions became increasingly violent. It suddenly pounced, seemingly trying to exchange its injuries for the injuries it had suffered.

Ning Ze easily dodged the claws again, and with a flick of his longsword, his posture was elegant and unrestrained, leaving another bloody gash on the Shadow Cat Monster's body.

What was supposed to be a tense and exciting battle turned into a sword dance and cat-like antics?

"Microscopic level?"

Zuo Xingyuan tilted his head, his face contorted, his head filled with question marks, and his eyes seemed to overflow with envy.

He admitted that he was jealous!

He was over thirty years old, with the strength of a mid-level warrior, but his movement techniques had not yet reached the "microscopic level".

Ma Yu is nearly forty years old and has been fighting for almost twenty years. He is a little envious that he has been able to reach the "Subtlety Level" in movement techniques, but Zuo Xingyuan can accept it. He feels that he is also close to reaching the "Subtlety Level".

But Ning Ze, a newbie who just entered the wilderness, has also become incredibly skilled in agility. How so? Just because this kid has a good appearance?

Yang Chao, holding a machine gun, smiled again, but still kept a close watch. He remembered that Ma Yu had practiced his movements for a month when he reached the "Microscopic Level". Even if this kid's movements were at the "Microscopic Level", he probably wasn't very skilled.

On the battlefield.

Ning Ze frowned slightly. He had been paying attention to the proficiency of his movement technique since the start of the battle. When the battle eased up after his movement technique reached the "Subtle Level", he carefully observed its growth rate.

Now, he found that his proficiency in movement techniques was not increasing much, or rather, it was increasing very slowly, not even a little bit per minute.

After fighting for so long, I only reached the level of "Lingxi Baibu" at the microscopic level 5/10000.

At first, it increased by 7 points in just a few breaths, but now it's become so slow?

Ning Ze's eyes narrowed. Since this monster couldn't help him improve his agility quickly, then he would deal with it!

"Ugh!"

A piercing roar rang out, and sensing the killing intent, the Shadow Cat Monster snapped back to reality. Its bloodshot purple vertical pupils turned to tremble with fear, and it turned to flee.

Ning Ze sneered. He had tormented him so much just now, his eyes full of mockery. Now he wanted to run away?

late!

A flash of silver light left several sword shadows in mid-air. The Shadow Cat Monster dodged in panic, but the long sword pierced through its eye and brain, instantly putting the monster to a standstill.

Ning Ze smiled happily, then squatted down to process the monster's materials.

(End of this chapter)