Swallowing the Stars: The Wind Sword Master.

Chapter 20 Using Oneself as Bait

tonight.

It was destined to be turbulent.

Originally just a small county town, City No. 103 has now gathered many warriors.

They moved stealthily, with darkness as their backdrop and the roars of beasts as their accompaniment.

"They're here!"

A suppressed gasp escaped, and the already tattered bright red curtains were blown about by the strong wind. Six figures stood tall and proud in the room, bathed in the bright moonlight, their bodies gleaming with gold near the ground.

"Dad," Ning Ze called out.

Ning Hua strode forward, patted Ning Ze on the shoulder with his thick hand, and asked, "How's your cultivation these past few days? I heard you've made quite a bit of progress. Everyone here is an acquaintance, so tell us all about it."

Ning Ze immediately understood. It must have been difficult to invite the other five people besides his father. In the world of martial arts, these people were all stronger than Ning Hua, and even stronger than Zuo Xingyuan.

Then he needs to earn some face for his father, or rather, make these powerful figures feel that Ning Ze owes them a favor, so that they will work even harder.

He bowed slightly to the front and said respectfully, "Greetings, uncles. By sheer luck, I've managed to cultivate to the first level of the 'Wind Slash' these past few days."

Before anyone else could react, Ning Hua slapped Ning Ze on the back of the head and snapped, "Is this all the progress you've made? Do you think we're people who've never seen the world?"

Upon hearing this, not only the five powerful individuals who had come over looked helpless, but even the five members of the original Warfire Squad were suppressing their laughter.

He was cursing, but he looked incredibly smug; his way of showing off was quite amusing.

However, none of the invited generals were bored; they recognized the value of this talent.

Ning Hua turned around, raised his hand, and introduced, "Today I'll show you my connections. Everyone here is a renowned expert!"

"First place, Chen Chong, nicknamed Bloodthirsty Blade, a high-level warrior. You think you're so arrogant, kid? You're still too green! You haven't heard of his reputation!"

"Uncle Chen!" Ning Ze called out respectfully.

"Compared to you, Golden Fire Bear, this kid is much more pleasing to the eye." The voice was somewhat deep, and the words were full of sarcasm.

Ning Hua's expression changed. "Golden Fire Bear is Golden Fire Bear. We've been hearing about it for almost eight years. Today, I'll show those bastards just how terrifying a raging bear can be!"

"The second one, Wei Xin, nicknamed 'Crescent Moon Ghost,' possesses the strength of a high-level warrior..."

……

……

"This fifth one is Shao Yang, nicknamed Yang Jian. He has the strength of a high-level general. You should communicate with this senior more. We are both in Yangzhou District, so it will be convenient for you to visit him."

The five powerful individuals were all high-level warriors and martial artists from the Limitless Martial Arts Academy.

Ning Hua's preparations were so thorough that he was confident of victory. This force was so formidable that even in the base city, let alone in the wilderness, each member was a prominent figure. They could shake the base city with a stomp of their feet, and even the Warrior Squad couldn't assemble such a lineup.

"I will definitely learn more from Uncle Shao." Ning Ze's attitude remained very respectful; everyone here was a powerful figure.

"Alright, enough with the formalities. Anyone who dares to lay a dirty hand on our Extreme Martial Arts Academy will regret it!"

The speaker was Bloodthirsty Blade, the first warrior-level expert Ning Hua introduced. He was renowned among high-ranking warriors, and his presence wasn't solely due to Ning Hua's influence; more importantly, it was on the orders of Manager Dongfang, who stated that the Thunder Martial Arts Academy's fighters intended to use underhanded tactics, and that they should be taught a lesson!

Ning Hua no longer held back and said softly, "This time, it was Thunder Martial Arts School that acted unjustly first. We clearly agreed back then that neither side would make a move..."

These were all just superficial words, meant to dispel any discomfort among the powerful figures present. After all, they were all influential figures, and it would be truly unreasonable for them to fight over a few monster materials.

When it comes to righteousness, it's no joke. If there's a valid reason and evidence, even if someone is killed, the Thunder Martial Arts School will still have to send someone to apologize.

"We'll use sunrise as our reference point; they should have arrived long ago. If they haven't found us by sunrise, then Man Dao should go out and make a commotion."

"There might be other martial arts squads. If we can stay, we will. Anyway, the warriors of the Poison Wolf Squad must die!"

……

"No! How could there be no one?"

Flying Eagle was shocked. He had scouted the area during the day, but the person was gone by nightfall.

"You're not trying to lie to me, are you?"

Beside him, a dangerous glint flashed in the eyes of the Poison Wolf.

Flying Eagle's cheeks twitched violently twice as he said, "I wouldn't stoop so low as to lie to you for two hundred million Chinese yuan."

"I'm sure they're still in this city, and not far from here. We can easily find them if we search tomorrow."

"This is different from what we said before. They told us it would be 200 million if we found out where they were, but it will be 300 million when we meet them." Poison Wolf had a ferocious smile on his face. Of course, he knew that the War Squad was in this city, but of course, he wanted to keep the 500 million fee to a minimum.

Flying Eagle's face was very ugly. He glanced at the two unfamiliar people in the shadows without making a sound. These two were invited by Poison Wolf. They were at least mid-level warriors, and possibly even high-level warriors.

In addition, Poison Wolf already had four generals, making a total of six generals.

In this situation, refusing is no joke. These people often hunt martial artists for materials, and if things go wrong, they'll all be stuck here.

Flying Eagle was prepared and not afraid that Poison Wolf would dare to make a move openly, but since he hadn't seen Ning Ze, he knew that the reward would definitely be reduced. "I'll help you find the person tomorrow, and you only need to give me the remaining half."

Poison Wolf chuckled and said, "Tomorrow you'll get the people for me and take care of them. If it goes smoothly, I'll give you a hundred million. If you can't find them..."

"hehe."

Flying Eagle's face was extremely grim. What should have been an easy job had turned into a disaster when the person was gone. Otherwise, they could have just left.

Joining the Poison Wolf Squad in the search now is tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin; it's too late to back out now!

"Okay! I'll definitely find the person for you tomorrow!"

That night.

As usual, the roars of beasts echoed throughout City 103.

As the first rays of sunlight fall upon the earth, a new day quietly begins.

As dawn broke, someone from the group who had been searching for a long time finally discovered the trail of the War Squad.

"At the 33 o'clock position, the Barbarian Blade is there again, luring monsters just like yesterday."

Poison Wolf frowned slightly, turned to look at Flying Eagle, as if to offer an explanation.

"They had someone lure monsters yesterday, probably to hone the son of the Golden Fire Bear. They should do the same today," Flying Eagle replied honestly.

A cruel smile crept across Poison Wolf's lips. "Good training! Good training! Let's go, let's follow him and give him a good workout!"

The two groups continued forward until they arrived at a dilapidated bathhouse, where Zuo Xingyuan had vanished without a trace.

Poison Wolf frowned slightly, sensing that the situation was somewhat troublesome. It was previously said that the monster's son was being trained, but now there wasn't even a monster's corpse.

This situation is clearly a trap!

He turned his head and smiled, saying, "Flying Eagles, it's your turn to take the stage."

Eagle's face was grim, but he had no other choice but to grit his teeth and go for it. They would escape once the two groups of enemies began to fight.

He waved his hand, and the other four members of the Blood Eagle Squad had no objections.

They began searching building by building.

In the distance, Ning Hua's brows were tightly furrowed; there was only one Flying Eagle Squad.

Now that the other side is making such a big fuss about finding people, then the Poison Wolf Squad must have come. It's just a matter of where they're hiding.

If this team of warrior-level experts wanted to escape, they wouldn't be able to stop them at all. Wei Xin and the others wouldn't really give up until they caught up with the group in the wilderness; they didn't have that much of a grudge between them, and Ning Hua and Ning Ze didn't have that much influence to make them risk their lives.

Wanting revenge... it's actually quite simple. Just lure them out. As long as the original Warfire Squad members are involved, the Blood Eagle Squad will definitely be strong, and the Poison Wolf Squad will surely appear.

The problem is that Ning Ze also needs to go out...

Using one's own son to lure in treacherous enemies is incredibly dangerous. Who knows what kind of people might be coming? If things go wrong, it could be extremely risky.

Ning Hua's face was filled with conflict.

Everyone in the room realized the situation. The members of the War Squad would not speak up, and they would accept whatever they did. With Ning Ze around, they had no worries about revenge. During this time, they were very certain that Ning Ze would definitely become a War God-level powerhouse in the future!

It doesn't matter if it's a little earlier or later. If Ning Hua can endure having a limp, then they can endure it too.

The five experts who were invited remained silent. Whether the matter succeeded or not, they had already given face. The money might be a little less, but these powerful individuals didn't lack that little bit of money.

Although they were invited by Ning Hua, and it was the Eastern supervisor who spoke up, it was also out of respect for Ning Ze, an S-level genius who, if he doesn't die, has the potential to become a war god in the future.

At this point, giving face is a matter of righteousness, good for reputation, and money—a sure win!

"Dad, we should go out now!" Ning Ze said calmly.

Ning Hua frowned but remained silent.

"I think my current strength is no worse than yours!" Ning Ze continued, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Ning Hua's face darkened, and he remained silent.

"One Blood Eagle squad is nothing to fear. They're just snipers lurking in the shadows, easy targets." Ning Ze's expression was arrogant. "Why keep enemies around? These guys dare to turn around and ambush us? They're asking for death!"

Ning Hua's lips twitched slightly. She turned to look at Zuo Xingyuan, closed her eyes, and gestured with her head held high towards the outside.

This is as if to say, "Now that you're the captain, I won't stop you from doing whatever you want; I can't control you anymore."

Zuo Xingyuan grinned, exchanging cruel smiles with the rest of the War Squad. He looked at Ning Ze and then said in a deep voice, "Flank from the side. Take care of that foul-mouthed guy first. I remember he talked back to us!"

"Set off!"

At a command, the group walked out of the room and circled around to sneak up on the martial artist named Dazhuang.

"Golden Blade, you've certainly raised a fine son. Strictly speaking, this is his first time venturing into the wilderness, isn't it? Tsk tsk! His personality and talent are both quite good. If he grows up, he has a great chance of becoming a war god." Shao Yang said with eyes full of approval.

"He has the spirit of a martial artist! At first, I was quite worried because he was so polite. Now I'm much more at ease." Another powerful figure spoke up.

A slight smile appeared on Ning Hua's lips. This was the son he had raised for nineteen years!

He may appear gentle and refined on the surface, but that's just his kind side. His son has never lacked the bloodthirstiness, resilience, indifference, and ruthlessness of a martial artist. He can even go all out against his own father, let alone outsiders. This son of his is ruthless even to himself!

"asshole!"

A loud shout rang out from afar, and Flying Eagle, his eyes wide with fury, immediately yelled, "Rendezvous!"

Just a second ago, apart from Yang Chao who hid and sniped, the rest of the Warfire Squad sneaked up and launched a surprise attack on Da Zhuang.

Two generals and three high-ranking warriors, and it was a sneak attack. The men who rushed over died instantly, with no chance of fighting back.

"You barbarians, you're asking for death!"

"You're asking for it!"

When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred. Without needing to exchange many words, the two groups charged at each other.

In just three seconds, the two martial arts teams met.

Zuo Xingyuan charged straight at Flying Eagle, like an enraged Vajra, and roared, "Die!"

Ning Ze gripped his longsword tightly and, together with Zhang Chen, attacked a robust high-ranking warrior.

Zuo Xingyuan and Ma Yu attacked at the same time, and he didn't manage to get a kill at all; the people he ran over to were already dead.

Now, this head must be his.

Coincidentally, this martial artist was only wary of Zhang Chen and clearly ignored him.

A mocking smile appeared on Ning Ze's lips. Was this underestimating him?

With a thrust of his sword, the martial artist easily dodged, but Ning Ze twisted his wrist, turning the thrust into a slash.

"So fast!"

With a low gasp, the burly martial artist's eyes were filled with shock. Not only did he suddenly change his move, but his speed was also incredibly fast!

He tried to draw his knife to defend himself, but Zhang Chen was no pushover either, and he fought back with him.

Being attacked from both sides is a fatal weakness; it's too late to defend!

He only saw a flash of silver-white light, and the next second he felt a chill on his neck. He tried to raise his hand, but he completely lost control of his body.

Even as his head hit the ground, he was still blinking, his will growing slower and slower.

Ning Ze smiled slightly. It was the first time he had killed an enemy, yet he felt no discomfort whatsoever.

Living in Mingyue Community, he has witnessed countless partings and deaths since childhood, and has also seen people kicking someone when they're down.

Born into a family of martial artists, he understood the coldness of the martial arts world and the wickedness of human nature from a young age.

He had prepared himself mentally last night.

To be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to oneself!

Since they are enemies, it's best to kill them as soon as possible!

"Asako!"

Flying Eagle was furious. They had lured everyone out, but the Poison Wolf Squad's warriors still hadn't shown up.

Clearly, Poison Wolf was playing the same game as him: once the person died, Poison Wolf wouldn't have to pay him anymore!

"Let's retreat!"

The Blood Eagle Squad was already down to one person after being ambushed, leaving the Warfire Squad with five against four.

If we lose one more player, it will be five against three. If we lose another player, forget about getting the money, even if Flying Eagle wants to escape, it will be difficult.

Just as the Blood Eagle Squad was about to escape, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out.

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out, and everyone turned around at the sound. By then, the bullet had already struck a martial artist in the head and exploded.

Blood mixed with the white liquid was splattering.

"what!"

Another scream of pain rang out. The last remaining martial artist, who had fled in haste, had half of his face sliced ​​off by Ma Yu. Amidst the scream, Ma Yu slit his throat with another blade.

Eagle cried out in alarm, "Poison Wolf!"

At this point, he had no other choice. If it were any later, he wasn't sure if he could escape. The battle was collapsing far too quickly!

"What a piece of trash!"

Inside a hotel, Poison Wolf was very dissatisfied, but even more so, he was terrified.

He witnessed Ning Ze killing someone; he definitely possessed the strength of a high-level warrior, and this was only his second month as a martial artist!

"Let's do it!"

Seven martial artists appeared ahead in the direction the eagle had fled.

The five members of the War Squad did not press forward, but slowly walked together.

The distance gradually closed, and finally the two sides stopped about fifty meters apart.

Poison Wolf looked at Ning Ze with a cold gaze, grinned, and asked, "You're the son of Golden Fire Bear?"

Ning Ze looked you over and then scoffed, "That scar on your face was inflicted by my father?"

"Oh!"

"hehe!"

Poison Wolf chuckled suppressedly as he lowered his head. When he raised it again, his face was contorted with rage, and he growled, "Kill!"

At the same time, a loud shout rang out from afar: "Poison Wolf!"

Poison Wolf was taken aback and looked in the direction of the sound.

In the distance, amidst the ruins of a building, a towering figure, eight feet tall, wielding a massive, gilded cleaver with unparalleled dominance, and with a pure gold prosthetic arm reflecting the morning light, slowly approaches with an iron-blooded and resolute expression.

(End of this chapter)