Chapter 227: The Terror of the Human-Shaped Beast
Hearing Taotie’s words, Kui Mulang was momentarily stunned.
If the situation were different, he might have sincerely asked for guidance, hoping to steal a little more of the grand culture of this vast nation for Dahan.
But in this life-and-death battle with Taotie, where the two stood irreconcilable, even with his family’s famous thick skin—thicker than the Great Wall—he felt embarrassed to ask.
Noticing the subtle change in Kui Mulang’s expression, Taotie grinned.
He had never expected that this fool was actually considering it.
Now that’s what you call “eager to learn and humbly seeking guidance.”
“Come, come, let me teach you.”
“When you reach the underworld, just say this: ‘A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall!’ Or ‘A wise man does not fight a futile battle!’“
Taotie said with a smirk.
Kui Mulang was stunned.
“You can say it like that?” he muttered to himself.
“Of course!” Taotie chuckled. “But you won’t get the chance to say it.”
“Why not?” Kui Mulang asked, puzzled.
“Ha?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re going to die today, obviously!”
Taotie rolled his eyes at this fool’s naivety.
Did he really think he could leave this forest alive?
Dream on.
If Taotie let him go, he might as well commit seppuku in shame.
And not just Kui Mulang!
Every mercenary in these mountains—every single one—was marked for death.
The moment Taotie learned that the ambush was orchestrated by Dahan’s Ragnarok mercenary group, he was resolved to kill them all.
He was already planning to call in reinforcements from Blacklist for a full-scale counterattack, ensuring that none of them made it out alive.
This nation was a mercenary graveyard.
Foreign invaders? Not a single one should be left alive.
Didn’t they see what happened to Tom, one of the world’s top mercenaries? He was captured and turned into a glorified housekeeper.
And these clowns wanted to escape?
Not happening.
The moment Taotie’s words sank in, Kui Mulang’s expression changed drastically.
But Taotie wasn’t about to waste time on his theatrics.
What was the point of all those dramatic expressions?
This wasn’t a theater show.
Just die already and stop wasting oxygen.
Taotie charged forward, brandishing his machete with unstoppable momentum. The sheer force of his attack was suffocating, making Kui Mulang instinctively want to turn and run.
Suppressing his fear, Kui Mulang gritted his teeth, gripping his dagger tightly as he rushed to meet Taotie.
Close combat!
If he could just get close, he might still have a chance!
Kui Mulang convinced himself.
His weapon was short, making it dangerous at close range. As long as he got within striking distance, he could rely on his years of training and ghost-like knife techniques. Surely, he had a fighting chance!
If Taotie could hear Kui Mulang’s foolish thoughts, he would have laughed himself to tears.
How naive.
If he thought Taotie’s true power lay in his machete, he was sorely mistaken.
Taotie’s real strength was his raw physicality—his fists and legs.
With a machete, Taotie could injure a bull.
With his bare hands, he could kill one.
Seeing Kui Mulang charge in, Taotie raised an eyebrow.
With a swift swing, his machete slashed down in a brutal Mountain-Cleaving Strike.
Taotie’s attacks were direct and straightforward.
When you had absolute power, fancy techniques were nothing but useless tricks.
Kui Mulang, horrified, abandoned his attack and quickly shifted to defense, using his dagger to block the incoming blade.
CLANG!
Sparks flew as metal clashed.
Miraculously, Kui Mulang managed to block the strike at the last second.
Taotie was slightly surprised.
Huh. He actually blocked it.
Interesting.
But that was just the beginning.
Taotie withdrew his blade and struck again without hesitation.
Before Kui Mulang could react, another devastating slash came down.
CLANG!
Kui Mulang’s body trembled from the sheer force, his arms nearly going numb. He was forced down onto one knee, barely holding on.
His eyes widened in terror as he looked up at Taotie.
Seeing that fearful gaze, Taotie grinned—a terrifying, bloodthirsty smile.
Then, without a word, he raised his machete again.
Another strike.
And another.
And another.
Each slash forced Kui Mulang’s body lower.
The sound of cracking bones rang through the forest as his knees shattered under the pressure.
Kui Mulang’s face was deathly pale, his lips trembling. Blood trickled from his mouth.
His hands were shaking, his grip on his broken dagger barely holding.
Finally—
With one last devastating blow—
CRACK!
Kui Mulang’s dagger shattered.
The machete didn’t stop.
With brutal force, it sliced straight through Kui Mulang’s arm, severing it completely.
Blood sprayed into the air.
A chilling scream echoed through the forest.
“AARRRGHHH!!”
Kui Mulang howled in agony.
“What the hell are you screaming for?” Taotie sneered.
“It’s just an arm. Can’t you act like a man for once?”
Kui Mulang wasn’t listening.
The pain was unbearable.
He clutched his severed stump, writhing in agony, unable to stand.
Taotie looked down at him in utter disgust.
His cries were irritating.
With a cold snort, Taotie swung his machete one final time.
SHING!
A clean cut.
Blood splattered as Kui Mulang’s head flew into the air.
For a brief moment, as his head fell, Kui Mulang saw his own twitching, blood-soaked body.
Oh…
So this is how I die.
Death… isn’t so bad, after all.
(End of Chapter 227)
