Chapter 132: The Brothers’ Past

The battle, from start to finish, seemed long, but in reality, only a few seconds had passed. For most people hiding in their homes or crouching in corners to observe, it was all a bit difficult to comprehend. First, a brave young man fell from a carriage and launched a courageous charge at the white monster. He then pulled out a broken blade, swung it theatrically, and successfully managed to strike nothing but air. Next, the young man skillfully dodged a shot, only to be sent flying by a shield. That was the extent of the bystanders' perception.

Ye Chen, wincing in pain, felt differently: My body has been strengthened by the Breath Technique; even against a D-rank physical awakened, I am at least their equal. But this feeling of being completely suppressed is troublesome! I cannot win by force; I must outsmart him!

After landing the blow, the skeleton’s hollow, pitch-black eyes turned toward the direction where Ye Chen had been sent flying. It slowly turned around, choosing not to pursue. It was confident in its own strength; if the opponent couldn't even withstand a single strike, the result would inevitably be death or severe injury. Its brother had told it not to waste time, and it was obedient.

"Hey, did you forget something..." a voice suddenly sounded from behind, though the speech seemed slightly slurred.

The white monster stopped and turned to look. It saw Ye Chen, half of his face swollen, shaking his hands as if trying to flick something off. Before the monster’s confusion could fade, "crack... crack..." sounds of bones shattering echoed across its entire body. The force of multiple impacts caused it to stumble backward involuntarily. The skeleton looked down at its bone armor and saw several translucent, dart-like objects embedded in the cracked segments. It reached out to pull them free, but before it could touch them, the darts vanished into thin air.

While it was distracted, a "buzzing" sound returned to the air. This time, it saw clearly: a massive, wheel-sized, four-pointed throwing star was flying straight at it. Its sharp edges spun, slicing through the air with a terrifying, tearing force. This giant shuriken was a new weapon Ye Chen had developed using his Inverse Breath Technique.

The white monster realized this strike was no simple matter. Lacking time to dodge, it hurriedly raised its left arm to block, utilizing the shield as intended. "Crack... crack... crack..." The bone shield shattered repeatedly under the impact of the giant shuriken.

The hard surface of the shield began to show deep gouges as the spinning shuriken dug in, sending shards of white bone flying. The immense force pushed the monster into a continuous slide backward.

"Bang!"

As the internal energy was exhausted, the giant shuriken dissipated, taking half of the bone shield with it. The white monster was struck and sent crashing onto its back. This was the most effective hit Ye Chen had landed all night. The giant shuriken, a sudden inspiration from his meditative space, had shown miraculous efficacy in breaking through defenses. However, it had only breached the armor; it hadn't touched the monster's core, and Ye Chen had already exhausted his skills.

In the car, Ma Tupeng kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror, his heart filled with anxiety. Though only a few minutes had passed, the sounds of the intense struggle would only bring the residential patrols back faster. When that happened, if they wanted to break out again, they would have to rely on his brother’s power. Although he had full confidence in his brother’s strength—as ordinary people were no match for a C-rank awakened—his brother’s ability had side effects.

He remembered clearly when he and his sickly brother lived in the workshop district. His brother suffered from a rare form of osteoporosis; his bones were incredibly fragile, and even a slight impact could cause a comminuted fracture. His brother couldn't work in the workshops and was bedridden year-round. Then, one day, someone approached him, claiming the Inner City Research Bureau might be able to cure his brother. Out of desperation, he handed his brother over to them.

Not long after, his brother returned, no longer fragile. He had miraculously grown taller and seemed more mature. When his brother told him he was now an awakened, and a C-rank one at that, he couldn't have been happier. Although he was an awakened himself, he was only an E-rank—the lowest level. A C-rank was not just a symbol of power; it brought social status and wealth. He had fantasized about a better life, but before the dream could come true, the nightmare arrived. He never imagined that his brother’s awakened ability would overdraw his life force. Every time it was used, it accelerated his growth and his aging.

That was why he strictly forbade his brother from using his skills casually. Later, he contacted the Research Bureau to ask for medicine. The answer was that it existed, but it cost a sky-high price. If he couldn't pay, he had to complete their tasks: capturing children for their experiments. They also taught him how to correctly use "awakened items," which led to the subsequent string of child disappearances. He had suspected that the Research Bureau had targeted him from the start, coveting his ability. The cure was merely a ruse to force him onto their ship. But it was too late now; his brother was his life, his everything. His brother’s current state was his own doing, so he had to finish the mission.

Just moments ago, he thought they could leave after seeing his brother swat away that annoying fly with a shield bash. But in the next second, the shield was inexplicably sliced off. He realized then that something was wrong; the opponent was prepared, and their methods were not simple.

Having landed a hit, Ye Chen regained his confidence. If the giant shuriken was effective, he could break that defense once, he could break it again, until he cut through to the core. He had enough internal energy for now! Ignoring the pain in his face and abdomen, Ye Chen charged at the rising white monster, creating another large shuriken as he ran.

The monster’s self-regeneration was indeed powerful; in the blink of an eye, the shield area was already being re-covered by a foam-like substance. Perhaps because the damage to the bone shield was extensive, it required time to repair. Strike while the iron is hot—before the shield is fully repaired, I will finish you.

After closing the distance, Ye Chen felt his next throw would be foolproof. But just as he prepared to launch his decisive strike, a new development occurred. A deafening "bang" exploded on the street, sounding like a cannon firing. Ye Chen cursed under his breath, "Oh, no!"