Celestial Human Diagram-Chapter 150 - 133: Besiege (Part 2)

Chen Chuan had seen Wei Chang’an open fire, so he hadn’t rushed forward. But that last shot had been brilliant. The timing was perfect, crippling most of the enemy’s combat ability.

He nodded to the team member in the watchtower, then said to Wei Chang’an, "Brother Wei, I’ll deal with this guy. You go help suppress those bandits."

Wei Chang’an agreed immediately. He quickly pulled out a fresh magazine and reloaded, then rushed to the front to support Luo Kaiyuan, Cai Si, and the others.

As Qi Sai rolled, the Mutated Organization in his body squirmed, causing the wound to contract and stop bleeding. Despite missing a leg, his speed was undiminished. He entered a tent, immediately crawled out from under it, and ducked into another one.

It was just past four in the morning, and the sky was still dim. A thick haze of smoke hung in the air. While this would have blinded most people, it was an advantage for someone like him, a student of Maka Karma Vein Study. He could sense others, but they had no idea where he was. If he could just get a moment to catch his breath, he might have a chance to turn the tables.

Chen Chuan, however, remained where he was. He looked at his Second Self. Besides its arm having turned ethereal during their earlier clash, he now noticed that the closer he got to Qi Sai, the more his Second Self as a whole would fade.

The effect was very similar to what happened when he encountered paranormal phenomena. He deduced that the man must be carrying something, and this effect conveniently served as a way to identify him.

He took a few steps through an open area in the camp, following the growing intensity of the effect. In no time, he located his target’s position. An old tent stood before him.

But he didn’t stop. He continued walking forward. Just as he was about to pass it, the Snow Monarch Blade suddenly stabbed to the side.

Crouched on his one good leg inside the tent, Qi Sai gripped his short club, planning to wait for Chen Chuan to pass before making a move. Suddenly, he sensed danger and ducked. A blade tip burst through the fabric, grazing his shoulder before slicing sideways and tearing a huge gash in the tent wall.

Qi Sai’s expression turned savage. He knew that with only one leg, retreat was impossible. His only chance to win was to charge. With a roar, he threw his short club and kicked off with his good leg, lunging at Chen Chuan in a desperate tackle.

Chen Chuan ignored the thrown club, his eyes fixed on Qi Sai’s charging form. With a flick of his wrist, he laid the blade against the man’s neck. Using his opponent’s own momentum, he drew the blade sideways and then stepped aside.

Qi Sai stumbled past him, rolled forward, and came up in a half-kneel. He tried to use the squirming of his Mutated Organization to close the wound on his neck, but half his throat had been sliced open. Blood gushed from the gash, impossible to stop. He stared fixedly at Chen Chuan for a moment, then collapsed sideways.

Chen Chuan gave his wrist a light flick and stared at the man for a moment.

’His skill level isn’t that far off from Duma’s,’ he thought. ’If he hadn’t been shot earlier and lost so much of his strength, this fight might have dragged on.’

But this wasn’t a one-on-one duel; it was a clash between two teams. There was no room for fairness or honor. Every possible tactic had to be employed until one side was completely neutralized.

He scanned the area, then walked forward and pulled a bracelet that looked like it was made of polished bone from Qi Sai’s wrist. This was what had been causing his Second Self to fade.

After a moment’s thought, he pocketed it. Then he moved aside, picked up a rifle from a dead bandit, and rejoined the effort to clear out the rest of the hostiles.

The initial assault had taken out more than half of the bandits in the camp. Now, only eight or nine remained, having retreated to the deepest part of the encampment.

This was the most fortified section of the camp, surrounded by a ring of stacked barricades and obstacles, with plenty of places to take cover.

However, between the Smoke Bombs and the dim light, it was difficult for them to shoot accurately. Meanwhile, Chen Chuan’s team, with their superior throwing arms, were able to land Smoke Bombs right in their fortified position, further crippling their ability to fight back.

Mi Tai took a headcount. Including himself, there were only fourteen people left. Among them were two Maka Students who had escaped from Yangzhi City and were hiding here.

To make matters worse, only a portion of their team had firearms to begin with, and they had lost most of them in the earlier fighting. Now, only six people, himself included, still had guns—hardly outnumbering their attackers. The others were left with bows and crossbows.

’They broke in without a sound. They’re obviously powerful,’ Mi Tai thought, his anxiety mounting. ’Forget holding this position. Even if we could, who’s to say they don’t have reinforcements on the way?’

Just then, You’an, who had gone to the rear, ran back to his side and said in a low voice, "Boss, the situation is bad. The road behind us is blocked. We’re surrounded."

Now that things couldn’t get any worse, a strange sense of calm washed over Mi Tai. He thought for a moment, then asked, "Could this be about... that thing?"

If it was related to that thing, then it meant word had gotten out. Even if they defeated this group, another would just come to take their place.

You’an said, "Boss, whatever the reason, we’ve lost too many men. We don’t know what we’re up against, but it’s clear they have skilled fighters. We can’t get pinned down here. We need to break out now and worry about the rest later. We still have an armored truck and an SUV; they should be enough to get a few of our guys out." He glanced around. "Boss, where’s Qi Sai?"

Mi Tai shook his head. "He went out, and I haven’t seen him since. He’s either hiding somewhere or he’s dead."

You’an cursed in frustration. Qi Sai was their supervisor and their liaison. Without him, things would get complicated. "Forget him," he said. "As long as we have the item, we don’t have to worry about the delegation backing out of the deal. Boss, we need to figure out how to withdraw."

The two conferred briefly. They figured the enemy’s main firepower was concentrated at the front, with only two or three people blocking the rear. They decided to break through from behind.

But they couldn’t all pull back at once. Someone had to hold the line at the front.

’It’s the only way,’ Mi Tai thought. He then shouted, "Yatai!"

Hearing his name, an enormous, powerfully-built man stomped over. "Boss, what are your orders?"

Mi Tai said, "Take a few men and pin them down at the front. Stall them for me. You’an and I will slip out the back and circle around to hit them with a pincer attack. You absolutely must hold this position!"

Yatai said excitedly, "Don’t worry, Boss! As long as I’m here, they won’t get through."

As Mi Tai was giving his orders, outside, Ren Xiaotian drove up in his SUV. He pulled out several custom-made spike strips and, with the help of three members of Wei Chang’an’s team, secured them across the only escape route at the rear of the camp.

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