"This is bad, the kid has awakened!" Upon seeing the dazzling blue light erupting from Chu Xun's right hand, Qing Yi's face immediately changed drastically. Having grown up in Chu City, Qing Yi naturally understood that the blue light coming from Chu Xun was a sign of awakening superpowers. Once someone's powers were awakened, it meant they were no longer useless, and with enough strength, Chu Xun could kill him without anyone intervening on his behalf.
"I can't let him live, I have to cripple him!" Qing Yi had risen from the ranks of countless servants to become Chu Qing's number one lackey, and there was a reason for that. He was ruthless and decisive, having seen countless lives lost, and had even killed or crippled many competitors. So, without hesitation, he made up his mind. He raised his foot and stomped down toward Chu Xun's right hand.
Awakening one's powers was a crucial moment in a superhuman's life. If the process was interrupted, they would lose their chance of awakening forever. What Qing Yi wanted to do now was disable Chu Xun, making him a true cripple. Then, at least out of respect for Chu Qing, others wouldn't make things difficult for him because of a useless person.
Qing Yi's choice was decisive, but he had misjudged one thing: Chu Xun wasn't awakening his powers at all—he was using them!
Slap!
A muffled sound echoed as Qing Yi's foot, about to land on Chu Xun's right hand, was caught by a small, pale hand glowing with blue light. Though the hand appeared delicate and frail, it contained an immense power. Qing Yi felt as though he was stepping on solid iron, unable to make any progress. The sharp pain made him scream in agony.
"Let go, let go!" Chu Xun's hand gripped Qing Yi's foot like a vice, even puncturing his boot. The intense force made Qing Yi feel his bones groaning, and the pain caused him to struggle wildly.
But it was useless. No matter how hard he fought, Chu Xun's slender, pale hand remained locked around his foot, preventing him from escaping.
"Everyone thinks the strength of ants is insignificant, but do you know? The power of ants is terrifying!" As Chu Xun felt the endless power surging from his body, an indescribable excitement flooded his heart. He took a deep breath and forcefully threw Qing Yi away.
Bang!
Under Chu Xun's terrifying strength, Qing Yi, who was over two meters tall and weighed more than two hundred pounds, was sent flying like a sandbag, crashing heavily to the ground.
"You... really awakened?" Qing Yi struggled to rise, his face full of fear as he trembled and asked.
He wanted to flee, but the intense pain in his right foot stopped him from moving. Moreover, he didn't believe he could escape from a successfully awakened superhuman.
"That's right. What, regret it?" Chu Xun sneered coldly, his eyes flashing with a cold gleam. "But it's too late now..."
If it hadn't been for his good luck in finding a few ants nearby to devour, he might have truly fallen into the hands of this lackey.
Although Chu Xun had just recently implanted the ant gene and could only harness about 5% of its true power, even so, this strength was far beyond what an ordinary human like Qing Yi could resist.
"You seemed to enjoy beating me earlier, didn't you?" Chu Xun stood up, dusting himself off before coldly walking towards Qing Yi.
The b*st*rd had tried to cripple him. He definitely had to teach him a lesson!
"No… You can't kill me, I'm Master Chu Qing's man. If you kill me, Chu Qing won't spare you!" Qing Yi seemed to misunderstand, thinking Chu Xun was about to kill him. He immediately screamed in panic.
In this world, it was a paradise for the strong, but a hell for the weak!
Qing Yi had grown up in this cruel city, witnessing countless servants like him being abused or killed by the nobles. That was why, when he had beaten Chu Xun earlier, he had felt a sense of revenge. But now, as the tables turned, with Chu Xun awakening his powers and gaining incredible strength, Qing Yi couldn't help but recall all the terrifying scenes he had seen. He was paralyzed by fear.
"Is this what they mean by 'the pitiful always have something despicable about them'?" Chu Xun sneered at Qing Yi's terrified, trembling figure as he walked closer.
"Wasn't Chu Qing the one who sent you to spar with me? If I'm not mistaken, in sparring, if one kills their sparring partner, no one is allowed to say anything, right?" Whether it was influenced by the memories of the previous owner of this body or not, Chu Xun felt an intense hatred for both Qing Yi and Chu Qing. Now, he was going to give these bastards a lesson.
"Please, please don't kill me!" As Chu Xun walked closer, Qing Yi's fear intensified. He finally fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably, begging for mercy.
However, Chu Xun was unmoved, continuing his approach.
He wasn't a bad person, but he wasn't a good one either. If he were, he wouldn't have been driven to kill. He needed to settle the score for the beating and humiliation Qing Yi had given him.
Boom!
When Chu Xun reached Qing Yi, he kicked him harshly in the chest. The impact sent Qing Yi flying backward, crashing to the ground with a mouthful of blood.
"Please, don't kill me! I don't want to die!" After spitting blood, Qing Yi crawled toward Chu Xun, still pleading for his life, his face full of sorrow and desperation.
"Forget it, there's no point in arguing with a lackey," Chu Xun thought. If Qing Yi had still been as arrogant, he would have given him a good beating, but seeing him now, crying and looking like a dead dog, Chu Xun felt no interest in continuing to fight.
"Die!" Just as Chu Xun had begun to lose interest, Qing Yi suddenly lunged at him, pulling out a shiny alloy dagger and thrusting it towards Chu Xun's chest.
As a villain, Qing Yi would never just sit back and wait for death. He would rather fight to the death than be humiliated to death by Chu Xun. Even if he couldn't stay in Chu City after killing Chu Xun, he could at least try his luck outside the wildlands. Though the chances of survival were slim, it was still better than submitting.
Chu Xun had only just awakened his powers. Although his strength had increased dramatically, he couldn't possibly be invincible in such a short time. As long as Qing Yi hit a vital spot, he would be able to kill him.
"Sh*t!" Chu Xun was still too inexperienced. When he saw Qing Yi charging at him with the dagger, his face changed, and he quickly tried to retreat.
However, the ant gene had only enhanced his strength, not his speed. So, despite his attempt to retreat, he still couldn't avoid Qing Yi's attack. Luckily, Qing Yi's right foot was injured, which slowed his attack just enough for Chu Xun to avoid a fatal strike.
Pfft!
The sharp alloy dagger pierced through Chu Xun's outer clothes, tearing through his abdominal muscles and embedding itself deep inside him. Bright red blood gushed out like a fountain, soaking his clothes.
"Dammit, get off me!" The intense pain made Chu Xun lose his composure. He roared in fury and swung his fist with all his might, smashing it into Qing Yi's face.
Fueled by his anger, the power in Chu Xun's body surged even more. His right fist glowed with faint blue light, making it seem almost mystical.
Boom!
Just after the dagger pierced Chu Xun, Qing Yi was about to swipe it aside, intending to sl*t Chu Xun open. But before he could move, Chu Xun's punch had already landed. The force was so powerful that Qing Yi's face was crushed in an instant. His nose collapsed deeply, several of his teeth flew out, and blood sprayed everywhere. Qing Yi was sent flying once more.
With the punch, the dagger was pulled from Chu Xun's body, causing more blood to gush out. The excruciating pain and the dizziness from blood loss made Chu Xun feel like he could barely stand.
However, despite the pain, Chu Xun was relieved that Qing Yi had been knocked out and was lying on the ground, motionless. He couldn't tell if he was dead or unconscious.
"Sh*t, just like in the movies—when you show off too much, lightning strikes. I'll have to keep my mouth shut in future battles. Otherwise, I might end up like those villains in the movies, getting turned over." Chu Xun took off his thin jacket and pressed it against his wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
His injury was severe, and he no longer had the energy to check if Qing Yi was alive or dead. The ant gene had primarily enhanced his muscle strength, and his bones and body hadn't been strengthened much. As a result, though his punch had knocked Qing Yi away, it had also damaged his own right hand. His fingers and arm felt as if they were being ripped apart, and his fist was battered, bloody, and broken.
"Ugh..." Just as Chu Xun was preparing to make his way to the medical station to treat his injuries, Qing Yi, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly moved. He was twitching as he crawled to his feet, but his movements were strange. His mouth emitted a bizarre growling sound, and his eyes had turned entirely white.
"This is bad…" Chu Xun's heart sank as he watched the scene, forcing out a bitter laugh.
The good news was that it seemed like his punch had directly killed Qing Yi, confirming just how strong he had become. The ant gene was indeed extraordinary.
The bad news was that this guy seemed to have turned into a zombie, and now, the scent of his blood was exactly what Qing Yi craved…