Chapter 656: Hundred Steps Divine Fist

Even with the undead brute strength boost from being a zombie, Yuan Hao's superhuman energy was still limited.

And as he kept fighting Akutsu Shinichiro, whose strength only grew during battle, the outcome was never in doubt.

Xia Lingling’s body had been smashed to bits, and even after she barely managed to piece herself back together, she was destroyed again.

Zhuo Feiyu was also devoured by the serpent.

At this point, Deng Shentong, who had been observing from the rear, couldn’t take it anymore.

“That’s enough! They’re not even in the same league as the Moon of Corrosion. Any more fighting is just pointless sacrifice.”

“It’s our turn now!”

Zhu Zheng received Deng Shentong’s battle request, but he still looked hesitant.

“But only five of the Moon of Corrosion members have shown up. There are still eight lurking in the shadows. It’s like they know our plan and have prepared a backup move.”

Deng Shentong gave a slight smile.

“But we can’t expect to have 100% intel for every mission. That kind of job would be way too boring!”

Zhu Zheng’s eyes turned to the large screen, where he saw that the western and northern fronts were on the verge of collapse.

If the Celestial Squad didn’t step in now, everyone on the field would be dead!

So he nodded.

“Alright, you’re cleared to engage!”

Deng Shentong’s lips curled into a confident smile as he glanced at his squad.

“It’s our turn to take the stage! Let’s finish this one in style.”

…

Akutsu walked up to Yuan Hao, his blood-stained baseball bat aimed at the man’s head.

“Hey, let me kill you too! Then you can go join your girl in the afterlife.”

Elsewhere, Yu Zhengyang and Zhuo Feiyu were no match for the serpent, Kamiya Gedou, even in a two-on-one fight. They were both slain and swallowed whole.

Akutsu raised his metal bat high and brought it down hard!

But suddenly, his arms went limp, and it felt like all the strength had been drained from his body.

Clang!

The metal bat dropped to the scorched earth.

He looked down at his chest.

Out of nowhere, a deep dent had appeared there.

“Urgh!”

He vomited a mouthful of blood, and a sharp pain surged through his chest.

It was as if a massive hand had reached in and crushed his lungs to pieces!

Kamiya Gedou reverted to his human form, his pupils shrinking in shock at what happened to Akutsu.

He knew—the real special forces of the Jiangnan District had arrived!

Those people... were their biggest threat!

Kamiya Gedou whipped his head around toward the thick fog in the distance. But before he could brace for defense, an unbearable pain struck his abdomen.

It felt like his organs had been tossed into a blender filled with steel nails!

“Gah!”

All the strength drained from him. He dropped to his knees, vomiting blood in huge gulps.

From the depths of the thick mist, a tall, muscular figure slowly emerged.

It was a man with a scruffy beard.

“Not a bad power you’ve got there! But too bad for you, going up against me just means getting slaughtered.”

He said it calmly, almost indifferently.

One of the two vice-captains of the Celestial Squad—Divine Fist Liao Honglei—had entered the field!

With just one strike, he had taken down both Kamiya Gedou and Akutsu Shinichiro.

Even though the two had already been through a fierce battle, Liao Honglei’s terrifying strength was plain to see.

Unlike the western front, only Liao Honglei had come to the northern battlefield.

Since not all of the Moon of Corrosion members had shown up, the entire Celestial Squad wouldn’t be deployed either.

According to the Operations Command Center’s calculations, Liao Honglei was the best counter for Kamiya Gedou and Akutsu Shinichiro.

That’s because his ability was an extremely rare spatial type, which he had fused with his powerful Bajiquan martial arts to create a devastating combat technique—Hundred Steps Divine Fist!

Within a hundred steps, his strikes could bypass all physical defenses, even pierce through heavy armor and flesh, and directly target internal organs!

In short, he was the bane of all close-combat superhumans.

Liao Honglei didn’t waste words. He didn’t even spare a glance at the still-breathing Yuan Hao. He steadied his stance and punched straight at the fallen Kamiya Gedou!

Meanwhile, deep in the fog where Wei Ming was, a pair of icy brown eyes slowly opened.

“As expected... the Celestial Squad has arrived!”

Just as Liao Honglei’s punch flew forward, the fog churned violently, and suddenly a massive, flame-engulfed three-headed hound leapt out, roaring as it pounced on him!

This beast stood three meters tall and stretched five or six meters long. Its body blazed with crimson flames that made the air itself dry.

But strangely enough, those flames had no effect on the fog conjured by yin-yang techniques.

Liao Honglei’s pupils narrowed.

He hadn’t expected there’d be another hidden enemy.

Looks like no one was dumb—everyone had backup plans.

Now, it was just a matter of whose trump card was stronger!

Liao Honglei threw a punch aimed straight at the three-headed demon hound’s torso.

The creature’s body twisted unnaturally, its color dimming slightly, but it charged forward again with undiminished momentum.

Seeing this, Zhu Zheng’s expression grew grim.

“That’s an emission-type ability user!”

Tu Yunlie frowned. “Now this is turning into a real mess!”

No one expected the enemy to have this up their sleeve.

And judging from the demon hound’s power, the hidden enemy was incredibly strong.

They’d thought sending Liao Honglei to the northern line was the best option.

But now it seemed like the enemy had predicted their strategy and had laid their own trap!

Kamiya Gedou and Akutsu Shinichiro, lying on the ground clutching their chests and bellies, were seriously injured, coughing up blood nonstop.

Yet they showed no fear—instead, they laughed maniacally.

Akutsu said, “No wonder my fortune today was just small luck!”

Kamiya Gedou sneered. “But that doesn’t change the outcome.”

Liao Honglei swiftly dodged the demon hound’s attack.

Then, through the swirling fog, he saw several tall figures slowly step out.

Leading them was a middle-aged man in a tailored suit, slicked-back hair, and gold-rimmed glasses.

At his side were several clearly conjured superhuman beasts:

A five-meter-tall golden giant ape.

A six-tailed silver-white fox.

A blurry bluebird cloaked in swirling wind.

And a gray crow hovering over his shoulder.

This was none other than Shinguuji Seiichiro, the heir of the Ōsuganonji Temple, a true onmyōji, and a senior cadre of the Moon of Corrosion.

Shinguuji had his hands stuffed in his pockets, staring at Liao Honglei with a look of boredom.

“Your ability seems designed to counter close combat, huh?”

“So how about fighting me?”

Author's Note