Chapter 37: Signs of a Conspiracy in the Mist

Chu Feng carefully tucked the rune-inscribed stone into his pocket. A strange surge of energy pulsed from his fingertips, invigorating his spirit.

The team sat in a circle, the atmosphere light and pleasant.

"These symbols look like some kind of ancient script," Liu Yong said, pushing up his glasses. His brow was furrowed as he traced the shapes of the symbols in the air.

"Could it be a clue to some hidden treasure?" Sun Yue’s eyes gleamed; his inherent hunger for treasure was burning fiercely at that moment.

Pan Yue looked at Chu Feng with concern. "Whatever it is, we must be cautious." Her tone was gentle but laced with a subtle, underlying anxiety.

Wu Xia was flipping through the captured map. "Perhaps we can ask an intelligence broker. They might know something about this."

Just as they were engaged in a heated discussion, footsteps sounded outside the tent, and a stranger appeared at the entrance.

The newcomer was dressed in a tight-fitting black outfit. He was lean with sharp eyes. He cupped his hands in a salute and said, "I am Wang Hu. I have been sent by the leader of the 'Black Wind Stronghold' to pay a visit to you heroes."

"Black Wind Stronghold?" Chen Qiang frowned. He had heard of the name—it was a minor faction, neither strictly good nor evil, and notoriously unpredictable.

Sun Yue sneered, "We have no dealings with your Black Wind Stronghold. What do you want?" He was instinctively hostile toward these strangers.

Wu Xia, however, stepped forward with a beaming smile. "Brother Wang Hu, please come in. What advice does your leader have for us?" She was well-versed in social graces and did not want to offend anyone easily, even if they had ill intentions.

"Our leader wishes to cooperate with you all to explore the Rune Space. What do you think?" Wang Hu stated his purpose bluntly.

"Cooperate?" A flicker of suspicion crossed Chu Feng's eyes. "Why would we want to cooperate with you?"

Wang Hu’s lips curled upward slightly. "We possess a secret passage leading to an advanced Rune Space. I believe you will find it very interesting."

Sun Yue scoffed, "Empty words. Who knows if you’re telling the truth?"

The atmosphere turned subtle, and a tense air permeated the tent.

Wang Hu’s gaze swept across the faces of the group and finally rested on Chu Feng. "Captain Chu Feng, I know you possess the Shadow Rune and are exceptionally strong. Our leader admires you greatly and hopes you will seriously consider our proposal."

"There is no need to consider it," Chu Feng said coldly, rejecting the proposal with finality.

Wang Hu’s face darkened. "Captain Chu Feng, you had better think clearly. Refusing us will do you no good." His hand moved slowly toward the weapon at his waist.

Wang Hu’s smile froze, replaced by a cold, murderous intent. His movement toward his weapon became slow and menacing.

Outside the tent, the sound of scurrying footsteps suddenly intensified, as if countless eyes were lurking in the shadows. Several dark figures flickered into view, quickly encircling the tent where Chu Feng and his team were gathered.

The air stagnated, and a suffocating pressure washed over them like a tide. The temperature inside the tent seemed to drop by several degrees.

Pan Yue’s face turned slightly pale, and she gripped her dagger tightly. Liu Yong adjusted his glasses, while Sun Yue instinctively stepped back, leaning against the tent’s support pole, his eyes darting around as he searched for an escape route.

Chen Qiang stood like a towering mountain, chest puffed out, shielding his teammates with a rusted battle-axe gripped in his hands.

The smile on Wu Xia’s face had vanished, replaced by gravity and alertness. Her fingertips unconsciously grazed the hidden weapons concealed in her sleeves.

Chu Feng stepped forward. His sharp gaze scanned the surrounding shadows. There was not a hint of panic on his face; instead, he radiated a reassuring calmness.

He quickly analyzed the situation. Although the enemy had the numerical advantage, the encirclement was not foolproof. At the southwest corner, the density of the shadows was noticeably thinner; that was likely the breakthrough point.

"Prepare to break out!" Chu Feng commanded in a low voice, his tone soft yet carrying undeniable authority.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, he kicked off the ground and surged forward like an arrow released from a bow. The power of the Shadow Rune flooded his body, and his speed was so great that he turned into a blurry afterimage.

Pan Yue followed closely behind, her dagger shimmering with a cold light as she trailed Chu Feng like a nimble swallow. Liu Yong, Sun Yue, Chen Qiang, and Wu Xia followed in formation. Their years of unspoken coordination were on full display as the team formed an arrowhead, driving straight toward the weak point in the encirclement.

The men from the Black Wind Stronghold clearly had not expected such decisive action from Chu Feng’s team, nor that he would find the gap in the encirclement so easily. Before they could react, Chu Feng and the others had already broken through the first layer like tigers freed from a cage.

"How is this possible!" Wang Hu widened his eyes, his face a mixture of shock and rage.

Pan Yue stuck close to Chu Feng, her eyes filled with trust.

The minions of the Black Wind Stronghold brandished various weapons, lunging at the breaking team like starving wolves. Chen Qiang roared, his frame expanding like an iron tower at the back of the formation. He swung his battle-axe, creating a wind that blocked every incoming attack.

"Come on! You scum!" Like a guardian deity, he built a wall of steel for his teammates.

Pan Yue stayed glued to Chu Feng’s back, her gaze never leaving his vigorous form. Every time he dodged an attack or swung his weapon, her heart raced. Looking at his resolute back, her eyes were filled with admiration; the bond between them grew warmer in the face of danger.

Liu Yong calmly observed the environment. He adjusted his glasses, a sharp glint flashing across the lenses. He quickly modified surrounding objects—discarded vehicle parts and scattered metal shards—turning them into lethal traps in his hands. Enemies kept falling into the traps, screaming, their curses ringing out incessantly.

Sun Yue moved like an eel among the enemies. He was agile and always managed to avoid attacks at the last second. His dagger was like the tongue of a venomous snake, every strike precise and fatal. Occasionally, he would look back to give the enemies a mocking grin, infuriating them and disrupting their formation.

Wu Xia skirted the edges of the battlefield, her hidden weapons flying frequently, each strike accompanied by a scream. She moved like a phantom, leaving the enemies unable to defend themselves.

Chu Feng was like a leopard in the dark, his every attack swift and lethal. The power of the Shadow Rune was perfectly utilized in his hands. His figure was elusive, and the enemies could not track his movements at all.

"Damn it! How is this kid so strong!" Wang Hu gritted his teeth as he watched Chu Feng. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he noticed the look of admiration in Pan Yue’s eyes toward Chu Feng. A sinister plan began to form in his mind.

"Catch that woman!" he roared, his voice filled with madness.

Several Black Wind minions immediately changed targets and lunged toward Pan Yue. Chu Feng sensed the change, whipped his head around, and saw Pan Yue surrounded. His heart tightened.

"Pan Yue!"

"Chu Feng, watch out!" Pan Yue cried out, swinging her dagger to engage the enemies, but she was outnumbered and gradually began to lose ground.

"If you want to touch her, you have to get past me first!" Chen Qiang roared, swinging his battle-axe as he charged at the enemies surrounding Pan Yue.

"Hmph, overestimating yourself!" Wang Hu sneered. A dagger shimmering with a cold light suddenly appeared in his hand. "Die!" He leaped forward, aiming the dagger straight at Chu Feng’s heart.

"Chu Feng, watch out!" Pan Yue screamed, but it was too late to stop it...

"Stop!" A loud shout rang out, and a figure suddenly appeared, blocking the path behind Chu Feng...

Amidst the flash of blades, a figure appeared like a ghost, standing behind Chu Feng.

It was Feng Yao. The healing rune in her hand radiated a soft glow, instantly forming a barrier that blocked Wang Hu’s dagger.

With a crisp "clang," sparks flew.

Wang Hu was forced back several steps. He had not expected this seemingly fragile woman to possess such immense power.

Feng Yao did not press the attack. Instead, she redirected the power of the healing rune toward Pan Yue to treat her wounds.

Taking the opportunity, Chu Feng turned to engage Wang Hu. The Shadow Rune collided with Wang Hu’s dagger, producing a series of grating metallic screeches. Wang Hu’s attacks were sharp and ruthless, each one meant to be fatal, but Chu Feng relied on the unpredictable nature of the Shadow Rune to emerge unscathed time and again.

Chen Qiang and the rest of the team joined the fray, engaging the Black Wind minions in fierce combat. Chen Qiang’s battle-axe was heavy and powerful; every swing kicked up a gale, sending enemies flying. Liu Yong used the environment to set various traps, keeping the enemies constantly off-balance. Sun Yue darted through the battlefield like a phantom, his dagger striking with the precision of a viper. Wu Xia’s hidden weapons were elusive, striking terror into the hearts of their foes.

With the team working in perfect harmony, the Black Wind minions gradually faltered and began to scatter.

Seeing that things were turning against him, Wang Hu cursed under his breath and turned to flee.

"Think you can leave? It’s not that simple!" Chu Feng scoffed. The power of the Shadow Rune erupted instantly, transforming into shadows that ensnared Wang Hu.

Wang Hu struggled desperately, but he could not break free from the shackles of the Shadow Rune. Chu Feng approached step by step, his eyes filled with killing intent.

"Spare... spare me..." Wang Hu’s voice trembled.

Chu Feng ignored his pleas. The Shadow Rune in his hand morphed into a blade and plunged directly into Wang Hu’s heart.

"Pfft!"

With a dull thud, Wang Hu collapsed into a pool of blood.

The battle was over. The team members sat in a circle, but the atmosphere was unusually heavy. Although they had successfully repelled the Black Wind Stronghold’s attack, they knew this was only the beginning. The conspiracies of various factions still lay ahead, and even greater challenges awaited them.

After a brief rest, Sun Yue’s eyes darted around. He seemed to have noticed something and crept toward Chu Feng, whispering a few words in his ear.

Chu Feng’s expression grew grave. "Is what you say true?"

Sun Yue nodded. "Absolutely. I saw it with my own eyes."

Chu Feng took a deep breath. "Let's go. We need to see for ourselves."

He led Sun Yue and quietly headed in the direction Sun Yue had indicated...