Chapter 481: Duel in the Courtyard

Late night in the courtyard.

Seeing Yenir, who was casually sketching in the courtyard, Ming Luo’s expression grew complex as he nervously handed over a set of documents.

“Yenir, are you really going to engage in a death duel with Lu Tianming?”

“This… is too dangerous…”

Summoned by Zhao Hongtu, Ming Luo rushed to Yenir’s residence almost immediately after receiving the information on Lu Tianming, hoping the documents could aid him.

It wasn’t a matter of confidence.

He knew Yenir was formidable – his combat ability was no less than any Third-Stage Mid-level fighter.

His battle instincts and techniques were among the most impressive he had ever witnessed.

But the strength gap between them was enormous. In a death duel where tactics hardly came into play, it was raw power—with no room for tricks.

Even some Third-Stagers who doubted Yenir had privately wagered that he might not even break through Lu Tianming’s defense!

Taking the documents, Yenir smiled lightly as if tomorrow’s duel were merely a formality rather than a fight for life and death.

“It’s fine, trust me.”

“Besides, you don’t need to call me ‘Committee Member’ – just use my name.”

Bending over the documents, Yenir skimmed rapidly through the details about Lu Tianming’s abilities.

Although he was certain he could take down Lu Tianming, he knew that understanding an adversary is never a bad thing.

Moreover, his true concern was how to kill Lu Tianming decisively!

Exactly.

Despite the battle appearing to be a death duel, Yenir knew full well that the Military would never actually let Lu Tianming die at his hands. They wouldn’t allow him to be harmed either.

If either one of them died, it would send shockwaves far and wide!

Thus, Yenir realized that he had to finish Lu Tianming off instantly – right under the watchful eyes of the Peak Third-Stage!

It sounded like a fantasy, but with his SSS-level skills that were almost like having a cheat code, anything was possible!

If Lu Tianming doesn’t die, only endless calamities will follow!

Seeing Yenir’s apparent confidence, Ming Luo opened his mouth, though he had to keep his true thoughts unsaid.

After a soft sigh, he resolutely began detailing Lu Tianming’s abilities.

“Yenir, the data we gathered actually dates back six years.”

“Ever since Lu Tianming became a standing committee member six years ago, he’s scarcely been seen in action, so his strength details haven’t been updated in a long time.”

“But even so, the last time he displayed his combat power, it ranked among the strongest in the Third-Stage Advanced category!”

“Both in strength and constitution; his talent is at an A+ level.”

“He excels in dual-knife combat and is even suspected of possessing two defensive skills!”

He listed them all in meticulous detail.

Ming Luo crouched down and quickly flipped Yenir’s documents to the central section.

“This is a photo of Lu Tianming slaying a spider-eyed mutant six years ago.”

“His speed wasn’t remarkable, but his methodical fighting style—relying on robust defense—enabled him to gradually sever the mutant’s limbs and finally decapitate it!”

“You must note: although his talent hasn’t been publicized, existing data suggests he can seamlessly switch between offense and defense!”

“That is, when Lu Tianming defends, his entire strength is concentrated – his defense is more than double that of an average Third-Stage Advanced fighter!”

“And when he attacks, his defense instantly transforms into offense! Every strike is executed with full force. With dual-handed weapons, his combat prowess is almost equivalent to two Third-Stage Advanced fighters!”

His expression turned grim.

Ming Luo explained this as a heavy sigh echoed in his heart.

As a high-ranking military officer, Lu Tianming’s own strength was, of course, formidable!

Such a peculiar ability—though not supernatural—meant he possessed combat power that surpassed ordinary high-level fighters!

It can be said that this Awakener had no obvious weaknesses; only an overwhelming display of raw power could defeat him!

But when it came to spirit energy reserves and attributes…

Yenir, barely at the Third-Stage Beginner level and without time even to improve himself, couldn’t possibly match Lu Tianming!

Bluntly speaking, the time Lu Tianming spent fighting mutants already made him older than Yenir!

With a balanced duality of offense and defense, he was the epitome of a battlefield Awakener—lacking any discernible vulnerability!

“Knives raised upward signal a defensive stance; knives swept outward indicate an offensive stance.”

“Interesting…”

Gazing at the hard-earned photos Ming Luo had retrieved, Yenir’s eyes sparkled as he pointed to the three images.

All three images depicted Lu Tianming in combat during various military operations, and they were even used for public propaganda.

Holding dual knives with the blades pointed inward and his steps lowered, Lu Tianming assumed a defensive stance.

Gripping the knives at an angle with blades fanned outward—like a praying mantis with alternating steps—signaled an offensive stance.

Another image showed Lu Tianming surging into mid-air, spinning and slashing downward with his blades.

“Judging from this, although his speed isn’t his strong suit, his burst power is hardly lacking…”

“Is he deliberately concealing his true capabilities?”

With his vast combat experience, Yenir immediately noticed even more details in the three images.

In fact, he harbored additional theories in his mind.

“Such a clear switch between stances can’t merely be a combat habit.”

“More likely, it’s a deliberate ploy.”

With a soft chuckle, Yenir listened as Ming Luo explained the precise moments to dodge or attack Lu Tianming, shaking his head inwardly.

If he really believed that Lu Tianming’s stance dictated his next move, he would be a fool.

Even if Lu Tianming hadn’t always acted that way, given that sly old fox’s guile, he would likely mislead him on the duel stage by adopting the opposite stance.

After all, in public opinion, Yenir’s only redeeming battle tactic was a headlong charge!

“But, it doesn’t matter.”

“Whether he’s defending or attacking, a single sword strike to kill is all that matters…”

“The only thing to consider is how to stack the damage so that nothing or no one interferes with my attack…”

Lost in thought, Yenir quickly analyzed the battle scenario for tomorrow.

In theory, he couldn’t use his best Divine Rage – after all, he couldn’t just randomly pick ten spectators and kill their sacrificial flag on the spot, could he?

Therefore, his combat options were limited to just a few techniques.

“Lu Tianming’s defense is solid. The best chance is to strike when he charges – that would maximize the success rate.”

“Sky Rift Radiance… the damage is a bit low…”

“Fallen Heaven?”

“Fallen Heaven works. It could trick him into attacking me as I make my move.”

“Dimensional Surge is a must… ten sword strikes in a second, combined with Mind Shock…”

……………

Half an hour later, in the quiet courtyard, Yenir exhaled softly and, looking a bit tired, massaged his brow.

Killing Lu Tianming wasn’t difficult; what was challenging was figuring out how to kill him.

After some analysis, he had a rough plan in mind.

But for him, one issue still remained unresolved.

And that was…

“Uncle Liang, do they know my true strength?”

Muttering to himself, Yenir softly spoke as he glanced into an empty corner.

He had once demonstrated his Divine Rage in front of Liang Lie.

Under the terrifying power capable of taking down even Peak Third-Stage opponents in an instant, Liang Lie might be the only person in the world who truly knew his strength.

If Liang Lie had already shared his information with the Prime Minister and his team, Yenir figured that beyond the shock, their next move would surely be to ‘protect’ Lu Tianming from him.

So, the real adversary wasn’t just Lu Tianming – it was the entire Chinese Military at its peak!

After a long silence, Liang Lie’s hoarse voice finally broke through:

“No.”

“My duty is to protect you…”

As his words faded, Yenir raised an eyebrow in surprise and glanced toward the empty corner.

“Didn’t you say so?”

Perhaps Liang Lie had deduced that the precursors to his Divine Rage hadn’t yet reached the level that required informing the Prime Minister and his team.

Or maybe… things weren’t exactly as he had assumed?

After a brief moment of thought, Yenir was utterly clueless.

Moments later, he smiled in resignation.

It didn’t matter anymore.

Since no one would stand in his way, by tomorrow, it would be Lu Tianming’s time to die!