Chapter 521: Deadly Duel at the Border

Chapter 521 – Poisoned Sting (Update 4)

A member of Group Nine stepped toward the Mercenary Captain.

When the two were just two meters apart,

in that instant, both drew their military knives.

In the Mercenary Captain’s hand was a tiger-tooth military knife.

The Group Nine member brandished a combat dirk.

No words were exchanged; there was no time for hesitation.

A life-or-death duel erupted as they charged at each other.

Inside, the Mercenary Captain felt a surge of emotion.

He knew that these frightening foes could have taken him out with a single shot.

Though the outcome was still death in the end,

for a professional soldier,

it was the most dignified way to perish!

In one swift encounter, the fight was over.

The Group Nine member emerged unscathed.

The Mercenary Captain fell to the ground, stabbed three times.

Reality is not a movie, nor a performance.

This was real combat; this was killing.

There’s no such thing as a ten-minute banter or a five-hundred-hour battle.

Every action was streamlined for slaughter.

Quick, effective, and direct — that’s the only way!

“Don’t give me those grateful eyes,” he said.

Wiping the blood off his combat dirk, the Group Nine member glared coldly at the dying Mercenary Captain. “Choosing to engage you up close is our way of telling you: don’t come back here to do evil in your next life… You’re not worth it!”

The Mercenary Captain closed his eyes.

Mercenary no man’s land?

No, this was the mercenary’s grave!

…

Xiao Yu calmly finished observing the ‘duel’ that had just unfolded.

He regarded the corpse of the Mercenary Captain as if it were nothing more than bait.

Using twenty lives as lure — did that make mercenaries worthless?

The absurdity of it was palpable.

How can you claim commission if you fail the mission?

It’s like going shopping—

if they don’t give you the goods, why would you pay?

Of course, mercenary deaths come with compensation.

If you die for a mission, the client is obligated to pay.

But they only cover about 10-20% of the commission.

That’s right—mercenaries’ lives are simply undervalued.

Some dismal mercenary companies offer no commission, no bonuses, only a salary.

Many mercenary groups pay tens of thousands a year.

And even worse are those who work like slaves, earning nothing extra.

Get it?

Online, people boast about how formidable mercenaries are.

They talk about one-handed Barretts and rock-solid, giant pistols.

It’s always about hot-blooded battlefields and commissions piling up.

Many youngsters dream of becoming mercenaries.

But if you only had the strength of a peanut, would you really manage to drink like this?

Just look at the scene now.

These mercenaries, now corpses before your eyes,

indeed came from the world’s top mercenary forces.

Yet they were merely disposable bait!

Xiao Yu deduced that someone would enter through the Border.

He already anticipated that the enemy would attack the Mountain Stronghold.

Their goal was to use these bodies as bait to lure him in.

There’s an old saying: “The mantis catches the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.”

Someone was using these mercenaries as cicadas, while Xiao Yu and Group Nine served as the mantis.

When the cicadas are caught, what do you think the oriole will do?

“Take cover!”

Xiao Yu’s expression remained calm as he issued his order.

In an instant, the nine Group Nine members scattered, disappearing into the Dense Forest and shadows.

At that moment, Xiao Yu activated every system skill he could.

As if to prove his suspicions.

The moment his teammates dove into the forest,

Boom!

A gunshot echoed from afar.

A sniper rifle!

Half a second before the shot,

Xiao Yu, who had been standing still, used that split second to step aside.

A bullet whizzed past him.

It was only then that Xiao Yu slowly turned around.

His eyes, sharp as an eagle’s, locked onto a specific direction.

Not every mantis gets caught by a bird.

Some mantises even hunt birds for food!

In an instant,

Xiao Yu crouched and suddenly lunged forward.

While the Group Nine members were busy dispatching the mercenary squad, he was gathering his strength.

And now, all his energy burst forth.

He sprinted in a flash, his body propelling like a low-flying cannonball.

His sprinting form was unusual; he wasn’t just running with two legs like a normal man.

Activating Cheetah’s Speed, Xiao Yu moved like a leopard with all four limbs hitting the ground.

This posture not only fully unleashed his skill but also made his movements explosive and agile.

While ordinary people can only change direction with their legs during a run,

Xiao Yu could shift at will, using both arms and legs to propel himself in any direction.

All so he wouldn’t be seen as a monster.

Nonetheless, he reined in most of his speed.

Even so, he dashed past 100 meters in ten seconds.

Those who watched his sprint were left in disbelief, their eyes wide in astonishment.

But that wasn’t all.

Mid-sprint, Xiao Yu continuously shifted his body, changing tactics and direction.

Using both arms and legs, he effortlessly altered his running style.

At times he moved like a human, at other times like a leopard.

Bang!

The crack of a sniper rifle’s shot mixed with Xiao Yu’s roll, as if they occurred simultaneously.

It was as if he could foresee the danger, his leg muscles powerfully stretching out.

In the midst of his roll, both legs hit the ground.

The impact left a terrifying crater behind him.

This time, he didn’t continue his sprint.

Instead, he dropped to one knee.

The Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifle he had slung on his back was now armed in his hand.

Boom!

Gunfire exploded around him.

Xiao Yu’s feet and calves dug into the earth.

The monstrous recoil, amplified by his Bear Force, shook his body.

Yet Xiao Yu remained as steady as a rock.

Meanwhile, 200 meters away,

a sniper rifle’s scope and the sniper’s head were blasted apart.

It shattered in an instant!

After reloading and stepping forward, Xiao Yu continued his sprint.

If the sniper was already dead, what was the point?

He needed to find the man responsible!

Xiao Yu sensed that the sniper was also a lure.

Where there is bait, there will always be traps and hunters.

His target wasn’t the trap,

it was the hunter!

…

Four hundred meters away,

a White Youth peered through an infrared scope, his face full of disbelief as he fixated on the dashing Xiao Yu, murmuring, “Can a human really be this formidable?”

“They should be…”

A White Middle-Aged Man replied, uncertainty etched on his face, “He must be the strongest man in this country. In our world of mercenaries, he’s at the top of the food chain!”

“Ha!”

The Youth laughed mockingly, “To be so praised by someone as renowned as Poisoned Sting— even in death, he can hold his head high!”

There are kings among police, champions among soldiers, and mercenary kings in the world of hired guns.

Poisoned Sting — former military advisor, instructor, and combat king for the Sam State Navy and Marine Corps.

After retiring, he became the mercenary king for a Military Occupational Resources Company.

This was the very reason the Young Man dared to stir up trouble in Dragon Kingdom.

It was the revenge tool procured by the Young Man’s grandfather.

His father died last year, in this very nation.

The Young Man felt that some people should pay for his father’s death!