The slaughter inside the banquet hall continued. Outside, another battle raged on—between Ouyang Ge and the remaining nine soldiers.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

The sharp cracks of low-caliber bullets filled the air. A young man unleashed a relentless storm of gunfire in one direction. His pistol had already cycled through countless magazines.

"Damn, they're tough. Real professionals!"

Ducking behind cover, Ouyang Ge gritted his teeth. He ejected the empty magazine and slammed in a fresh one. But the situation didn’t improve. He was trapped alone against nine opponents. Proper weapons would’ve helped. Instead, he only had a pistol and a dagger. Unlike the enemy’s gear, Ouyang Ge was woefully underarmed...

"But there’s still a way."

He reached into his backpack. Pulling out a block of plastic explosive, he tossed it aside. He scrambled away just in time—bullets shredded his former position into dust.

During the fight, Ouyang Ge had circled clockwise under enemy crossfire. He’d dropped explosives along his path. But time was running out. From the banquet hall nearby, that golden glow was unmistakable. It was the Martial Monk—the mad monk’s magical radiance.

"Yet these nine have no gaps. The explosives might not even kill a few. Worst case, they’ll only create smoke cover."

Bullets from multiple directions grew deadlier. His cover crumbled into Swiss cheese. He had to move!

Boom!

The moment he left cover, an anti-materiel sniper round struck. Cement walls exploded into rubble!

"Tch!"

Spotting himself exposed to the sniper’s gaze, Ouyang Ge hit the detonator.

Massive explosions erupted across the area. Thick smoke swallowed everyone’s vision. Dagger in hand, Ouyang Ge charged the nearest enemy. His footfalls were drowned by the blast’s roar.

The targeted soldier dropped his rifle instantly. He drew a combat knife and pistol as smoke blinded him.

A black dagger lunged from the haze—straight for the soldier’s neck!

"...!"

Silent and swift, the soldier parried the blade. He raised his pistol and fired toward the attack’s origin. Gunfire echoed again!

*So fast,* Ouyang Ge thought. He’d hoped the smoke would let him take out a few. But this first soldier blocked him cold.

Ouyang Ge wasn’t a rookie. He disengaged instantly after the miss. The soldier’s bullets whizzed through empty air.

"Tsk tsk tsk. How pathetic."

A disappointed sigh reached Ouyang Ge’s ears...

"What?!"

Before he could react, a brilliant flash cut through the darkness. The soldier before him scattered across the ground in chunks of flesh...

"Are you really the one the Young Mistress loves? You’re not even in the same league."

Smoke cleared in the night breeze. A maid-clad girl stood before Ouyang Ge.

"Who are you..."

Ouyang Ge leaped back, dagger raised in defense.

"Who knows? For now, I’m not your enemy."

Her left hand rested on her katana’s sheath. Her thumb flicked the blade free an inch. Then her right hand drew the sword skyward—and slashed!

—Something split cleanly in half, flying behind her.

Ouyang Ge already knew. A sniper bullet...

—*She casually sliced a supersonic bullet in half?!*

Every armed man there froze with that thought.

"Go. I’ll handle the remaining eight."

"........."

The maid radiated mystery. But time was short. Ouyang Ge retreated cautiously, step by step. He vanished into the darkness.

"Alright. Let’s play."

Ferna angled her katana’s tip toward the ground. She waited for her *toys* to react.

Her interference had shattered their plan. The soldiers’ leader no longer cared if she was an ally. She’d just butchered his comrade in front of everyone. Friend or foe—he wouldn’t spare her.

"Open fire. Kill that woman."

[[[[[Roger. For our brothers!]]]]]

Gunfire erupted! Every bullet targeted Ferna at the center.

"Predictable. I adore impulsive fools!"

Her sword arm blurred. Every bullet split in half, clattering harmlessly to the ground...

She kicked off the earth. Ferna charged into the shadows!

Aaah!!!

A scream marked a life ending. Steel flashed repeatedly. In an instant, Ferna slaughtered seven men from different angles!

"What... how is this possible..."

Watching his comrades fall one by one, the leader choked out disbelief.

His team were elite veterans. They could beat sorcerers—or retreat cleanly. But this... this wasn’t a fight. It was a massacre...

His loyal brothers, his battle-hardened squad—all dead. Only he remained.

Ferna flicked blood off her blade. She approached the last man, smiling.

"I hear you’re the leader? The others were too weak to last a second. Maybe you’ll actually amuse me?"

"Madwoman..."

The man rose from his crouch. His eyes held icy calm as he stared at Ferna.

"Mad? I’m not mad. I just crave the thrill of battle."

She tilted her head, feigning cuteness. But her presence radiated only lethal sharpness—zero warmth.

Bang!

Seizing her distraction, the man fired without hesitation!

Clang!

Her raised blade split the bullet again!

"At this range too?!"

"Too slow. To hit me, you’d need bullets faster than Mach 1!"

Ferna charged forward, laughing wildly as she deflected shots.

"Tch!"

Bullets useless, the man dropped his pistol. He drew twin combat knives—closing for melee!

"Delicious! Maybe you’ll make my heart race!"

Ferna’s katana slashed from unpredictable angles. Each strike met a knife’s guard!

"Crazy bitch!!! Die!!!"

"Try it!!!"

Steel clashed, sparking wildly. Both plunged into frenzied combat!!!

Nearby...

"Gunfire—is it my brother?!"

Ouyang Shi had been rushing toward the noise. She halted abruptly...

"........"

"........."

An uninvited guest blocked her path. They locked eyes in silence.

"I will kill you."

The blocker spoke first.

"Move. I have no time for you."

Ouyang Shi didn’t care. But the blocker disagreed.

"Hah! Not even a proper challenge? How arrogant can you be?!"

Blinding white flames erupted from nothing. Grass, air, stones—all ignited. Ouyang Shi stood trapped in a world of white fire!

"........"

Forced to stop, Ouyang Shi finally met her sister’s gaze—Ouyang Feng...

"You’ve ‘helped’ me so many times, sister. I didn’t know how to repay you. Then I realized."

"Kill you. With you gone, I’ll be the Ouyang Clan’s strongest. Then Mr. Zokilia will see me—not you."

Ouyang Feng’s face glowed with bliss—like an innocent girl’s...

A cold wind snuffed the flames. Ouyang Shi studied her sister seriously.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! I can’t move forward until Ouyang Shi is dead!!!"

The girl roared—

—a pitiful roar...