Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 558 - 54: Pursuit and Escape

"Chinatown should be burnt to the ground. It is innately a breeding ground for disease, a permanent threat to city governance. It’s best to destroy it now, taking advantage of this rare excuse. Mayor, you’ve added a significant stroke to the cause of public health in San Francisco."

Mayor Michael straightened his back, overlooking the rampant flames from the airship.

Upon hearing the flattery from his companion, his heavy eye bags drooped, "I only want to do more for the citizens during my tenure."

St. Yves and Michael walked side by side to a spot, "Citizens will only cast their votes for someone who truly contributes to the stability and prosperity of this city, like you, esteemed Mayor." He raised his glass, "Here’s to your re-election."

"After driving the Chinese out of that district, Enfield can redevelop that piece of land and make a fortune from it. Your votes are indeed costly."

Michael joked.

He clinked glasses with St. Yves, then knitted his brow, "But tonight is the fifth-anniversary party of the completion of the Maritime Railway, and I don’t wish for any complications to arise."

"The Chinese are pragmatic. With their houses burned down, they will have to obediently move into the supervised shantytown established by the city hall on Rock Island, or else they’ll have to sleep in the wilderness. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce no longer has the qualification to bargain with me. But thank you for the reminder, sir, I will strengthen security."

"The port still needs many Chinese daily to maintain the Maritime Railway and to handle cargo. How do you plan to fill this gap?"

Mayor Michael asked again.

St. Yves smiled confidently, "Regarding that issue, I..."

Boom!

The ground shook, and both men’s gazes were drawn to the sight—Chinatown was engulfed in a sea of flames, barely visible through ripples of smoke, like a meteorite had smashed into the fire, with immense momentum.

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Li Yan stood up from the pit, ignoring the sweeping flames and fleeing crowds, he moved swiftly through the chaotic Chinatown. Soon, he saw a huge bulldozer engulfed in roaring black flames, and a man kneeling on the bulldozer, radiating dazzling golden light.

"Attention, Yan Fu walker."

"A super ancient ghost has possessed your fellow traveler, Cha Xiaodao. It will continue to resist Yan Fu’s call with its will, and if Cha Xiaodao fails to return normally within seventy-two hours, he will lose his status as a Yan Fu walker and become a flesh shell inhabited by the super ancient ghost."

"Current Yan Fu incident: Discovered gold worth over one hundred thousand US dollars in San Francisco. The incident is complete, fulfilling the forced return condition."

"After Cha Xiaodao falls into a coma, Yan Fu can forcibly make him return and strip away the super ancient ghost’s impact on his consciousness."

Li Yan tried to take a few steps forward, "Xiaodao?"

The man on the bulldozer stood up, turned to face Li Yan, and his eyes were dense with blood vessels, almost covering the whites.

The black flames rose eerily, gathering behind Cha Xiaodao into a fluffy black flame tail over ten meters long, swaying freely like that of a living beast.

Whoosh!

Cha Xiaodao suddenly disappeared, and the remaining bulldozer frame was submerged by "Dragon Mist."

Blue veins burst out on the back of Li Yan’s hand as he swung the Gold-engraved Tiger Head Spear around, smashing it onto Cha Xiaodao, who was attempting to backstab him.

There was a squelching sound, and "Cha Xiaodao" split apart like a clump of soft dough.

Culinary Skill: Deep-fried Dough Sticks

Li Yan was taken aback. He had never seen Cha Xiaodao use this move before.

"Are you keeping secrets from me, you little rascal?"

During a moment of distraction, two slashes of dark flame appeared in a "乂" shape, cleaving towards the face.

The half-meter-thick wall of flowing ice that guarded Li Yan was almost instantly torn through, as the Gluttonous Flames that sought to burn everything to ashes scorched a cross into the ruins, sinking two or three meters deep into the mud, a shocking sight to behold.

In the center of the cross-shaped char, Li Yan had just opened his eyes, his body radiating a suffocating terror, as if the Golden Arhat, Cha Xiaodao, had descended to Earth with fury in his eyes, attacking with his Owl Kiss Knife, the Gluttonous Flames so intense they twisted like little snakes, having long burned away all the oxygen within ten meters of Li Yan!

"Eternal Chronicle: Gluttonous Flower Knife!"

"Blood Dip" was completely useless against Cha Xiaodao, who was within the illusion of the "Eternal Chronicle." There was no time to dodge or maneuver with the Tiger Head Great Spear.

Cha Xiaodao’s onslaught was relentless and filled with killing intent, but Li Yan’s wealth of battle experience, even when facing those Proxies known for close-quarters combat, was more than a match. He was more than just a level above the current Cha Xiaodao!

He raised his Tiger Head Great Spear just in time to block the Owl Kiss Knife, as Dragon Mist surged forth, grappling with the Gluttonous Flames. Taking advantage of the entanglement of black and white steam, he slid the spear down, guiding the Owl Kiss Knife to chop towards his own wrist. Just when it seemed to be about to strike, he suddenly released his left hand, letting go of the Tiger Head Great Spear, which flew out of hand and struck Cha Xiaodao in the forehead at an odd angle, also blocking his vision.

Boom!

Brilliant golden light flickered intensely, and the cold air froze into stunning, intricate patterns of frost on the ground before rapidly melting away. In the space of a single breath, the two had erupted into a fierce close-quarters battle before swiftly disengaging.

Cha Xiaodao flew backward like a sparrowhawk, finally landing atop a rooftop surrounded by flames.

The Tiger Head Great Spear somersaulted through the air before landing at Li Yan’s feet.

Li Yan’s chest was slashed with three to four half-meter-long, charred knife wounds, so deep that bone was visible. The wounds were cauterized, but the poison of the Gluttonous Flames, like maggots to the bone, penetrated deep into the flesh. Thanks to the "Summer Yak" and the "Surgery Element," Li Yan wasn’t seriously injured. If it had been any ordinary Fur Class Eight Extremes Walker, they wouldn’t have stood a chance against these blows.

In contrast, Cha Xiaodao appeared completely unharmed. Only his Owl Kiss Knife was missing from his right hand.

Li Yan’s expression remained fairly relaxed; he took the Owl Kiss Dagger in his left hand and made a flourish with it, then stored the knife in his personal insignia.

Jack Chen’s blue wool sweater.

[Sorry, I’ll give it back to you]: When fighting unarmed, there’s a chance to randomly seize an item from the opponent.

"Hey, eggplant."

Li Yan spat.

After the encounter, Li Yan had suffered a slight disadvantage, but it was nothing serious; at least he still had the presence of mind to joke.

Originally, Li Yan thought that even without counting "the Seven Great Spear Swords" and the "Tentacle-Shaped Calamity Water," he should have a seventy to thirty advantage against Cha Xiaodao, especially with the hard bonuses of Destiny Yak and Quanlang Sea Ghost at play.

But now, it seemed that Cha Xiaodao had been holding back somewhat, probably with the mindset of "If I can’t beat him at full strength, I might as well keep a trump card."

All around them was a sea of fire, both Wu Zhiqi and Gu Huo constrained somewhat in their performance, while the Gluttonous Flames thrived like fish in water. Li Yan had to hold back in his attacks, tied down by the super ancient ghost possessing Cha Xiaodao, whose every move was deadly. With the ongoing exchange of blows, Li Yan could only say that they were evenly matched.

It never occurred to Li Yan that the most difficult opponent he faced in this Yan Fu incident would turn out to be his own teammate.

"I wonder if the Nine Variations of Calamity can subdue him..."

As Li Yan was considering this, Cha Xiaodao took an action that made Li Yan’s heart sink; he turned and ran!

He had no reason to fight to the death with Li Yan. If he could just delay for three days, Cha Xiaodao would run out of options.

Li Yan glanced at Chinatown engulfed in flames and unhesitatingly pursued in the direction Cha Xiaodao fled.

Compared to the fate of Chinatown, or indeed, all of the consequences of the fruit, the life and death of a teammate was more important.