Chapter 77: Mad Dog

In the damp, cold tomb passage, Ren Ye had his left arm locked around No. 11’s neck while his right hand repeatedly swung a tree branch.

Not far away, the other players instinctively retreated. Some watched coldly, while others hesitated, unsure if they should intervene.

“Bang!”

A flying kick struck from the side, landing squarely on Ren Ye’s waist.

The clever scholar had joined the fight. His kick sent Ren Ye slamming against the wall, and he raised his fist to deliver a punch.

No. 11, already tall and burly with well-developed muscles, took advantage of the distraction. With the scholar’s help, he broke free from Ren Ye’s left arm, stumbled back two steps, and reached for his neck. Blood gushed out—on the left side of his throat, a half-finger-long gash from the tree branch exposed raw flesh, a shocking sight.

If Ren Ye had been holding a knife, the wound would have pierced all the way through. But a tree branch had far less killing power. The pointed end wasn’t sharpened, with uneven edges that couldn’t compare to the sharpness of steel.

Furthermore, No. 11 was a living, breathing man—he wasn’t going to stand still and let Ren Ye stab him. When he saw Ren Ye’s arm rising, his instincts made him pull his head back. That small movement caused the branch to graze him, tearing open flesh but not delivering a fatal blow.

Even so, as No. 11 touched the gruesome wound, a wave of lingering fear surged through him.

This No. 5 was too damn ruthless—clearly intending to kill him with that strike.

Thinking of this, No. 11 charged forward again. “Kill him!”

Nearby, the scholar grabbed Ren Ye’s hair with his left hand and balled his right fist, aiming a heavy punch at the side of Ren Ye’s face.

“One less to deal with if we take him down! Keep fighting!” Imperial Inspector Liu shouted from where he crouched against the wall opposite, his voice loud and urging.

In the crowd, Guo Cai’er reached out and held back the Martial Artist, who had been about to step forward. Her eyes, devoid of emotion, calmly watched the fight between the three men.

Nearby, Li Yan, Tang Feng, and the Princess all subtly moved a step forward when they saw Ren Ye was at a disadvantage.

“Bang!”

No. 11 raised his foot and kicked Ren Ye hard in the waist. Ren Ye, with his left arm shielding his head, grabbed the waistband of an ancient-style belt used to secure men’s trousers with his right hand.

“Attacking me? Stabbing me? Huh?!” No. 11 was truly enraged now. He lifted his leg, charged it with strength, and aimed a devastating kick at Ren Ye’s head.

This wasn’t a mere brawl anymore; it was an attack meant to cripple or kill. Ren Ye’s head was right next to the wall, and if that kick connected, his skull would undoubtedly smash against the stone bricks.

“Whoosh!”

The kick came fast and hard.

At that moment, Ren Ye completely ignored the scholar pulling at his hair. Enduring the pain, he suddenly ducked down.

No. 11’s foot missed its target and slammed into the hard wall.

“Smack!”

Ren Ye’s left arm shot up, locking around No. 11’s right leg. His other fist swung straight toward No. 11’s crotch.

“Bang!”

The punch landed squarely, and the excruciating pain of what felt like his most vital parts being shattered made No. 11’s entire body convulse.

“Argh, damn it!” No. 11, with his right leg caught, stumbled back half a step while letting out a scream.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Ren Ye’s expression turned relentless. Lowering his head, he charged forward, ignoring everyone else, his eyes fixed solely on No. 11’s crotch as he threw five or six consecutive punches.

“Thud!”

With his right leg raised and the unbearable pain in his groin, No. 11 lost his balance and collapsed to the ground.

“Everyone stay back! Damn it, I’ll take both of you on!”

As Ren Ye pounced on No. 11, he glared with bloodshot eyes and yelled, “Get the hell away!”

Hearing this, Li Yan and Tang Feng, who had been ready to step in, stopped in their tracks. The Princess stood amidst the crowd, her beautiful face showing no emotion.

“Bang!”

After falling to the ground, No. 11 clutched his groin with one hand while using the other to grapple with Ren Ye. The pain was unbearable, as if he’d been hit head-on by a high-speed train.

Ren Ye ignored his opponent’s struggles. Suddenly, he dropped the belt in his right hand and quickly looped it around No. 11’s neck. With his entire body pressing down on No. 11, he pulled the belt tight.

“Whoosh!”

Both hands yanked the belt, which had been wrapped twice around No. 11’s neck, pulling it taut. Ren Ye pressed his knees against No. 11’s chest, limiting his arm movements, and used all his strength to pull backward.

“Ugh…!”

The sound of choking filled the air. No. 11’s eyes bulged, and the intense suffocation drained the strength from his body. His hands desperately clawed at his neck.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

The scholar rushed forward, picking up a burnt-out torch from the ground. He swung it down, hitting Ren Ye’s head and neck several times.

A dizzying sensation overwhelmed Ren Ye. Thick, sticky blood trickled from his scalp, slowly seeping through his hair.

He suddenly hunched over, completely ignoring the scholar behind him, making it harder for the torch to hit him. His hands gripped his belt tightly, ensuring that his body wouldn’t be toppled or overturned.

“Smack! Smack! Smack!”

In just a few breaths, No. 11 couldn’t hold on anymore. His legs kicked wildly as his hands slapped frantically against the floor of the burial passage.

Seeing this, the scholar panicked instantly. “Damn it! My teammate is about to be strangled!”

He gathered all his strength and swung the torch down. Ren Ye hunched his body further, blocking it with his back.

“Thud… Crack!”

The decayed, weathered wooden torch broke into two pieces on the spot, shattering completely.

The scholar froze momentarily, then immediately discarded the torch. He bent down and grabbed Ren Ye by the hair, punching him repeatedly in the face.

He wanted to knock Ren Ye out or at least daze him enough to drag him off his teammate.

On No. 11’s body, Ren Ye’s nose was bleeding profusely. The punches to his cheekbone brought sharp pain, leaving him dizzy and his chest aching.

Yet, the corners of his mouth still curled into a grin as his hands clung tightly to the belt, his eyes locked unwaveringly on No. 11’s face.

“Let him go! Let him go!!”

This was the first time the scholar spoke after starting his assault. He was genuinely desperate, using all his strength to pull Ren Ye away, but the tighter Ren Ye held the belt, the stronger No. 11’s suffocation became.

“Smack!”

At this moment, Guo Cai’er suddenly let go of Xing Tao’s hand and clapped twice, signaling him to step in.

Xing Tao understood Guo Cai’er’s meaning immediately, bypassing any need for thought. He rushed forward, wrapped his arms around Ren Ye, and shouted, “Enough, that’s enough! Let him go!”

“Tap, tap!”

Guo Cai’er also stepped forward to help break up the fight.

“Enough! Enough…!”

“Stop fighting!”

The others, seeing someone intervene, also rushed over to pull them apart.

With everyone working together, Ren Ye naturally couldn’t resist. He was forcibly pried off and dragged to the side of the wall.

“Huff, huff!”

Ren Ye wiped the blood off his face haphazardly and leaned his back against the wall, breathing heavily.

The scholar, meanwhile, dragged No. 11 to the other side, repeatedly asking, “Are you… are you okay?”

“Ugh…!”

No. 11 clutched his neck, lying on the ground, gasping for air for quite a while before finally making a wheezing sound.

“Act tough, get beaten up, feel good now?” Imperial Inspector Liu squatted nearby, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Such losers—you two couldn’t even take down one guy.”

“My brother is already hurt. Can you not say anything for once?” Tang Feng, pretending to side with No. 11, scolded him.

“When your brother was getting beaten, why didn’t you help him choke No. 5 to death, huh?” Imperial Inspector Liu mocked with a cold laugh. “Pathetic.”

“You…!” Tang Feng trembled with anger. “Shameless!”

“No. 5, you’ve fought and cursed—shouldn’t this be enough?” Li Yan pretended to mediate, turning his head as he advised, “We still don’t know the rules for this stage. If infighting leads to penalties for reduced numbers… we’ll all be screwed.”

“Yeah,” added No. 6, the “scar-faced” horsekeeper. “That’s enough.”

As they spoke, No. 11 had recovered slightly. He leaned against the wall, casting a fearful glance at Ren Ye.

“Are you okay?” The scholar seemed genuinely concerned about No. 11, the warmth between the two hinting at more than just ordinary teammates.

“…!” No. 11 shook his head.

“Let’s take a break and move on later,” the horsekeeper said, stepping to the side.

At that moment, Ren Ye, who had been resting against the wall, suddenly shot up. He snatched the broken half of the torch off the ground.

“Whoosh!”

Without warning, Ren Ye charged into the crowd. Clutching the broken torch in his right hand, he headed straight for the back of the scholar’s neck.

The scholar was crouching on the ground, talking to No. 11, completely unaware of the impending attack.

Xing Tao saw Ren Ye charging in and instinctively raised his arm, shouting, “What are you doing?!”

“To hell with you!”

Ren Ye spat back and shoved Xing Tao aside with his shoulder. He raised the torch and stabbed down.

The scholar, alerted by the shout, instinctively turned his body.

“Thud!”

The first strike hit the scholar’s shoulder blade with the splintered end of the torch.

“Thud!”
“Thud!”

The second and third strikes landed on the scholar’s back and the back of his head, respectively.

“Thud!”

The scholar collapsed onto the ground, sitting down as he clutched his head with both hands. Blood flowed profusely down his back.

“What’s your problem? Can’t you stop?!” Xing Tao, who had failed to block the attack earlier, shoved Ren Ye away.

The horsekeeper, No. 6, also stepped in, grabbing Ren Ye by the arm. “Enough already! Why are you still attacking?”

The Princess stepped between Ren Ye and the scholar, her face deliberately stern. “That’s enough. Learn to show some mercy!”

The crowd pushed Ren Ye back, scolding him with sharp tones as they tried to calm the situation.

Ren Ye was pushed around by the group, but his smile remained. Jumping up and down, he looked at No. 11, gasping as he shouted, “Come on! Come! My robe is right here. Come and take it!”

No. 11 and the scholar gritted their teeth, ready to stand up, but Li Yan, Tang Feng, and the others held them back.

Xing Tao frowned as he heard Ren Ye’s words and said, “Brother, acting like this doesn’t win you any friends. Don’t you think that’s too cruel? They…”

“What do you mean by that?!” Ren Ye raised his arm and shoved Xing Tao. “You three are in on this together, huh?!”

Xing Tao frowned but said nothing.

Standing at the back of the group, Ren Ye pointed the broken torch at No. 11 and the scholar, asking, “Do you still want the robe? Do you still want to try?”

The two stood in the dim tomb passage, gritting their teeth as they stared at Ren Ye without replying.

“What are you looking at, you sons of bitches?!” Ren Ye took a step forward, ready to charge again. “Or how about the three of us settle this deeper inside?”

“Mad dog!”

The words suddenly popped into No. 11’s mind.

He realized that Ren Ye’s personality was extreme, nothing like the polite facade he showed on the surface.

This guy was undoubtedly a desperado or a hardened criminal in the outside world.

Indeed, without any supernatural abilities or tools, Ren Ye wasn’t afraid of conflicts with anyone.

Setting aside his complicated experiences at the border, even during his time in prison, he had seen every kind of scoundrel.

Brawls? Fights? The Seven-Shot Warlord had never lost to anyone!

The reason these two dared to step up was simply to test how many allies Ren Ye had and whether anyone would help him. They were also trying to send a message to the others: Ren Ye’s team was large and had strong voting power. Any solo players should start forming alliances now, or they would be at a severe disadvantage in later stages.

They had stepped up to divide the group.

Ren Ye, however, saw through their intentions and wasn’t going to let them succeed.

This was precisely why Ren Ye had shouted for everyone to stay out of it earlier. He wanted to tell Li Yan, Tang Feng, and the Princess: I can handle this. You all just stay hidden.

The brief conflict revealed little to No. 11 and the scholar, other than that Ren Ye was a mad dog.

But Ren Ye? He learned plenty.

For instance, No. 3, who was the first to intervene, was very likely not in his camp and even harbored hostility toward him.

In the quiet, dark tomb passage, No. 3, the Martial Artist, stepped forward to mediate. “Enough, enough. I see several paths up ahead. Since we’re already inside, let’s split up and explore. Cool off and gather some clues.”

“Let’s go.”

Li Yan dropped a brief comment and walked deeper into the tomb.

Before long, the others followed, each holding their torches, leaving Ren Ye alone at the entrance of the passage.

He didn’t leave. Instead, he leaned against the wall, catching his breath and tending to his wounds.

Moments later, a cold, clear voice echoed.

[Congratulations to all players. You have successfully entered the second level of the Eternal Peace Princess’s tomb. This level focuses on information gathering and has a lower danger level. We wish you a pleasant adventure.]

[Friendly Reminder: You must leave the second level by sunset at the hour of the Rooster (5-7 PM), or you will die…!]

Ren Ye tore a strip of cloth from his clothes and stuffed it into his nostrils.

A wave of exhaustion hit him. Closing his eyes, he faintly heard a soft voice calling out:

“…Come… Come… I’ve waited for you for so many years… Please set me free…!”

This wasn’t the voice of the Star Gate system. It was a feminine voice, brimming with emotion. The voice sounded young, like that of an adolescent girl.

“Heavenly Pardoned One… come…!”

The voice was faint, but Ren Ye snapped awake, sitting upright as he scanned his surroundings. He focused, trying to determine the direction of the voice, but the area was eerily silent.

“Tap, tap!”

Footsteps echoed in the distance.

Ren Ye immediately became alert, looking up.

In the passageway, a figure approached cautiously, stopping five steps away from him. The person’s words were simple:

“Chinese men should be strong. I am Suhang’s Little Wolf Warrior.”

“…What the hell are you saying?” Ren Ye was baffled, not understanding.

“Forget it. Wrong signal,” the figure replied, pausing before adding, “Love rises with the chime, yet stops not when it ceases.”

“Comrade, is that you?!” Ren Ye slowly stood up, his voice trembling.

“…Comrade, you’re damn tough!” the figure replied.

…

Elsewhere in the tomb passage.

No. 11 took out some hemostatic powder, pouring it onto a cloth to press against the wound on his neck. He cursed through gritted teeth, “I’m going to kill him!”

“I didn’t expect that bastard to be such a mad dog,” the scholar muttered. “But…”

“Kill who? Count me in.”

A voice drifted from the shadows.