Xiao Fan pondered over his brief yet intense experience with the apocalypse, acknowledging his remarkable ability to adapt.
He had encountered numerous survivors in his journey.
Yet, Lu Yu was unlike anyone he had ever seen.
Confronted with a horde of beasts, how could one remain unscathed, as if protected by an invisible shield?
Such a feat seemed almost too fantastical to believe.
Common wisdom dictates that it's difficult for one to overpower many, just as a single tiger struggles against a pack of wolves.
This wasn't some choreographed scene from a film where the protagonist battles at the forefront while the supporting cast hesitates to engage.
Could this truly be a scenario where one stands against many?
Even the mightiest require tactics like ambushes and stealth attacks, don't they?
However, the situation at hand was unprecedented.
Lu Yu had faced a multitude of foes before, to ascend to the rank of bronze.
But this current challenge was on an entirely different scale.
Previously, the monsters were not as formidable as they are now.
His objective then was merely to deplete his physical reserves.
Retreating strategically while eliminating monsters was his method, never confronting more than three adversaries simultaneously.
But now, the circumstances have changed.
Retreat was not an option in his quest to defeat Xiao Fan.
He was up against over ten high-tier monsters all at once.
How many awakened within the entire Xia Kingdom could face such odds and emerge without a scratch?
With focused battle tactics, a verdant blade, and mastery in swordsmanship, Lu Yu's combat prowess had multiplied.
"No, this youngster is overwhelmingly powerful; I must escape," Xiao Fan thought, witnessing Lu Yu's swordplay mastery.
Despite the ongoing onslaught of monsters, Xiao Fan felt a profound lack of security.
As he turned to flee…
Whoosh!
A formidable gust, shaped into a wind blade, sliced through the air from the midst of the monsters, targeting Xiao Fan's back.
For his safety, Xiao Fan maintained a distance exceeding 20 meters from Lu Yu.
The space between them was deemed secure, a sanctuary from the reach of firearms and Lu Yu's typical arsenal.
Yet, the wind blade that emerged was a different beast altogether—swifter than Lu Yu's norm and boasting a broader swath of destruction.
Its expansive nature traded cutting depth for breadth, diminishing its slicing prowess but enhancing its likelihood of striking true.
Against such an unforeseen onslaught, the average person would be caught unawares.
But Xiao Fan was no ordinary survivor; he was the central figure of this tale.
With reflexes akin to having a second set of eyes at the back of his head, he whirled around, arms crossed in defense.
Hisssss!
With a hiss and a thunderous impact, the wind blade made contact with Xiao Fan's arm and shoulder.
Chu Feng had previously endured a similar strike, managing to stagger backward.
But this time, the gale's might was overwhelming, sending Xiao Fan sprawling.
Blood seeped onto the earth below.
"Ahhhhhh…"
Xiao Fan's cry of agony echoed as he hit the ground, cursing through gritted teeth.
The pain searing through his limbs ignited a blaze of anger within him.
Yet, there was no time to dwell on the agony.
He sprang to his feet immediately after the fall.
Without a second thought, he plunged into the group of monsters.
Lu Yu, having cleared a path through the majority of the beasts, was determined to kill the few that remained to pursue Xiao Fan.
But to his astonishment, Xiao Fan had already taken flight.
"How could he run?" Lu Yu mused, his brow furrowed in perplexity.
The attack had been meticulously calculated, its execution a long time in the making.
To enhance the wind blade's accuracy, Lu Yu had intentionally extended and broadened its form.
This adjustment doubled its energy consumption and reduced its incisiveness.
Yet, a direct hit to the shoulder should have incapacitated anyone momentarily.
Xu Bao's previous encounter was testament to that—struck by a standard wind blade, he was rendered unconscious for precious seconds.
So how did Xiao Fan rise so swiftly, without a moment's hesitation?
It defied all reason.
Is it possible that his encounter with the monsters has unlocked new powers within him?
"Xiao Fan, if I catch you, I'll ensure your fate is more terrible than death," threatened Lu Yu with a menacing tone.
As Lu Yu observed an increasing number of monsters converging, he swiftly abandoned his pursuit of Xiao Fan.
Xiao Fan's abilities seemed unfairly advantageous.
In such a scenario, persisting in the chase would only bring harm to oneself.
Moreover, Lu Yu had already accomplished what he set out to do; further pursuit was unnecessary.
"Focus on surviving first, you fool—oh no, damn it!"
Xiao Fan's insult was cut short by a sudden attack from a high-level zombie.
This unexpected aggression from the zombie left not only Xiao Fan but also Lu Yu, who witnessed the event through a break in the horde, in a state of bewilderment.
"What's going on?
Why did the monster attack him out of nowhere?
No time to ponder, Xiao Jin, Hei Shuai, protect me!"
Lu Yu couldn't afford to contemplate the situation.
He swiftly eliminated two nearby monsters, breaking free from the encircling horde.
Although Xiao Fan had escaped, he left behind a few drops of his blood—a detail Lu Yu, with his keen vision and mental acuity, could not possibly misinterpret.
This observation was precisely why Lu Yu refrained from a forceful pursuit.
Indeed, Lu Yu had braced himself for the worst from the outset.
The adversary was, after all, a protagonist blessed with destiny.
If such a character could be easily defeated, what kind of protagonist would he be?
The situation was reminiscent of Lu Yu's previous encounter, which required considerable effort to resolve due to the narrative's influence.
How could Xiao Fan possibly fall to Lu Yu upon their first meeting?
Thus, Lu Yu had strategized from the beginning.
If he couldn't personally kill Xiao Fan, he would compel him to leave a trace behind, then employ the 'predator' to track his quarry's whereabouts.
This tactic effectively switched the roles of hunter and prey.
"Ah, I previously deemed this treasure useless, yet it proves its worth so soon!" Lu Yu mused.
His focus unwavering, Lu Yu, shielded by his two companions, hastened to the spot where Xiao Fan had been wounded.
There, he retrieved the 'predator' he had acquired from Xu Bao, stored within his ring.
The Predator is a device made from a unique metal. Lu Yu, the character in the story, isn't sure about the exact type of metal used.
In terms of size, the Predator is comparable to a regular pocket watch and looks quite similar from the front. On the back, there's a protective case.
Inside the case, there's a small groove, big enough to fit a thumb and about one centimeter deep.
Lu Yu, following some mysterious instructions, uses a tissue to collect blood of Xiao Fan. He then opens the Predator's back cover, places the blood-soaked tissue in the groove, and closes it.
This causes the device's pointer to start moving quickly, eventually pointing towards the direction where Xiao Fan has gone.
Lu Yu reflects on the device's previous owner, Xu Bao, who didn't know how to use it properly. Xu Bao lacked the strength to protect himself, let alone hunt others, and he didn't have a manual for the device.
Although Xu Bao tried using his own blood with the Predator, he didn't notice any effect and cleaned it off, which turned the device back into a regular compass.
Now that Lu Yu has the Predator, he will use it to find Xiao Fan's location. The device prioritizes tracking biological tissue over objects, meaning if you used it with a piece of paper that touched something like animal droppings, it would track the animal, not the person who used the paper.
"Xiao Jin, Hei Shuai, withdraw!"
Lu Yu wonders if Xiao Fan is the same person who drives a black minibus but isn't sure.
A/n :- Dear readers, I welcome your suggestions and feedback in the comments section below. If you find the story engaging and enjoyable, I would greatly appreciate it if you could leave a review for this novel.