Chapter 102: Toll Fee
An overwhelming aura gathered, the momentum soaring ever higher. Cheng Luoyi soared forward, raising her fist to strike the burly man with a speed pushed to its limit.
“Boom!”
The burly man didn’t even have time to react before a heavy punch landed squarely on his chest. The earthen armor shattered instantly, and his body flew backward like a kite cut loose, crashing dozens of meters away.
“So fierce?”
The bald giant felt a suffocating pain in his chest, coughing violently as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Half his body had gone numb, nearly losing his ability to fight.
But there was no time to catch his breath. He saw Cheng Luoyi’s figure rushing at him once again.
“Someone stop her!”
Panicked, the giant shouted.
Nearby, a Black Scorpion member immediately activated his awakening power. With a wave of his hand, water droplets froze midair, forming several ice walls to block Cheng Luoyi’s path.
Her vision momentarily obscured, Cheng Luoyi did not pause. She raised her palm and shattered the ice walls with a powerful shock.
Just then, a sudden rush of wind whistled past her ear as a metallic dagger lunged straight at her temple.
“Die!”
A young man snarled fiercely. It was unclear what awakening ability he possessed, but he had stealthily crept up beside Cheng Luoyi and launched a surprise attack.
Yet, the sharp pain heightened Cheng Luoyi’s senses.
She raised her arm to block.
With a sharp ‘pfft,’ the metal dagger pierced through her arm, warm blood splattering onto her pale cheek, washed away by the fine rain as it streamed down her jaw.
Her bracelet pulsed again—Pain level: 35%.
A faintly crazed smile curved her pale lips. She swung back with a fist that shattered the young man’s skull.
As a mist of blood dispersed, a crystalline core exploded outward.
The pain invigorated Cheng Luoyi’s cells, accelerating her healing ability. The wound on her arm rapidly crusted over before their eyes.
The Black Scorpion members watching from afar were shaken, silently acknowledging that No. 001 Awakener from the sanctuary was indeed formidable.
Her strength was unknown, but she grew stronger when facing adversity.
This team’s supplies wouldn’t be easy to seize...
“Everyone, be careful! Don’t let her get close. Just hold her off from a distance and see how long she can last!”
The bald man issued tactical orders.
A small-time leader indeed—quick to analyze the battlefield and discern the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.
“Yes!”
The surrounding Black Scorpion members responded in unison, unleashing their awakening powers. Flames, ice spikes, water barriers—all surged toward Cheng Luoyi.
Some blocked her path; others attacked relentlessly.
Various energies enveloped her, exploding continuously with terrifying waves of power.
Outnumbered and ruthless, the Black Scorpion members drove the battle into a fever pitch, the scene growing ever more chaotic.
Suddenly, not far away, a tall, slender figure appeared, clad in a pristine white shirt, his expression indifferent as if strolling leisurely, stepping steadily forward while scanning the murmurs around.
“Quite lively here…”
“Huh?”
A scar-faced Black Scorpion member immediately noticed him. The man was unfamiliar, obviously not one of their faction, yet he seemed utterly calm, just watching the commotion as if it were entertainment.
“Damn it! Die!”
The scar-faced man’s patience snapped. Wielding a metallic short knife, he charged at the tall figure.
Lin Dong glanced over, his eyes flashing with a red gleam.
The scar-faced man suddenly froze.
His expression turned horrified.
Then, with a ‘bang,’ his body exploded into a cloud of blood mist.
“What...”
Those nearby were stunned, brows furrowed in disbelief.
What kind of ability was that?
Too powerful!
Sun Xiaoqiang’s sharp gaze glanced sideways, a pleased smile spreading across his face.
“Lin Dong, you’re here!”
“Uh-huh.”
Lin Dong’s voice was calm. While resting at home, he had received a report from a subordinate about a large human fight near the territory’s outskirts, causing quite a commotion.
He suspected Cheng Luoyi had arrived and came to take a look.
His eyes swept over the sanctuary’s people—faces grimy and pale, many overexerted, gritting their teeth to keep fighting.
Even Cheng Luoyi looked battered, covered in wounds, her clothes stained red with blood. If not for her delicate features, she might have resembled a zombie.
“Did you come to flee?” Lin Dong asked.
“Well, if you put it that way... I guess not.”
Sun Xiaoqiang nodded. Though they had gone to procure supplies, the journey from Binhai City had nearly turned them into refugees.
Cheng Luoyi’s beautiful eyes met his.
“Did you come to meet me?”
“Where’s the toll?” Lin Dong said bluntly.
Cheng Luoyi pointed to the bald man and his group ahead.
“There! Aren’t they all here?”
“Oh…”
Lin Dong nodded, noting there were quite a few. No wonder she was so generous—though they still had to ‘pick’ them off first.
The Black Scorpion members frowned, puzzled.
“Who’s that?”
“Maybe someone sent from the sanctuary as reinforcements?”
“Only one?”
“Hmph!”
The bald man snorted but didn’t seem too concerned.
“Cheng Luoyi is already the sanctuary’s strongest Awakener. How strong could the reinforcements be? Kill him!”
“Yes!”
The others echoed, convinced this was true.
Most of them came from Binhai City and knew nothing about Lin Dong.
The group surged forward like fierce tigers, the fierce battle resuming!
Lin Dong’s expression remained calm, his eyes glowing red as the Domain of the Dead rapidly expanded, a crushing pressure enveloping the four men.
Their fierce expressions instantly shifted to horror.
They felt as if bearing the weight of a mountain.
Their bodies were squeezed by immense force, bones cracking as if sinking into a quagmire, their movements becoming sluggish.
Lin Dong’s figure flickered, rushing forward.
In a flash, a long blade appeared out of thin air in his hand, sweeping toward their heads.
“Shhh—”
The blade sliced through skulls, the sound of metal scraping bone ringing out. Their skulls were instantly cleaved away, crystalline cores flying free.
Lin Dong caught all the cores with a wave of his hand.
“Do it yourself if you want to eat well…”
He murmured, pocketing the cores without stopping, blade in hand as he advanced toward the bald man.
With each step, four Black Scorpion members were slain.
His demeanor was unruffled, as if performing a trivial task.
“You…”
The bald man and the others widened their eyes, sensing something was terribly wrong. An intense unease welled up inside them.
The way Lin Dong killed—with such skill and ease—it was clear he was no stranger to slaughter.
Most Awakener from the sanctuary fought zombies and mutants, seldom killing so coldly and expertly.
“Who… who exactly are you?”
The bald man asked in terror.
Lin Dong lifted his eyes lazily and said,
“Don’t worry, I’m just here to collect the toll.”