Xiao Feng fixated intently on the descending Luke, his focus razor-sharp.
Luke dove through the sky, aiming to seize Xiao Feng with the claws on his wings and tear him apart.
Yet, Luke had forgotten that Xiao Feng possessed evolved abilities of speed and vision; his descent was clearly discernible within Xiao Feng's keen sight.
At a forty-five-degree angle, Luke lunged toward Xiao Feng, wings folded close, the talons at their joints outstretched—a striking and vivid image.
Xiao Feng, brow furrowed, remained rooted in place. Just as Luke neared, Xiao Feng unleashed a powerful kick—his right leg soaring high in a move known as the "Heavenly Horse Kick"—striking Luke squarely beneath the jaw.
A sharp crack echoed.
Luke's jaw was fractured outright by the force of the blow.
The violent collision of Luke's rapid dive and Xiao Feng's full-powered kick unleashed a backlash so fierce that Luke's jaw couldn't withstand it; his body arched backward in a full 360-degree somersault before crashing to the ground.
The impact was so severe that even Xiao Feng's ankle suffered; under X-ray, faint fractures marred his shinbone. Suppressing the searing pain, Xiao Feng hopped on his left foot and lunged toward Luke.
Unwilling to squander such a prime opportunity, Xiao Feng clasped Luke's neck with both hands, forcefully pinning him to the earth.
Luke's shattered jaw rendered him speechless; his head swam, blood gushing from the corners of his mouth. He growled fiercely, furiously beating his wings behind him in a desperate attempt to unseat Xiao Feng.
Injured and weakened by his right foot, Xiao Feng nearly faltered under Luke's thrashing, but he gripped the neck tenaciously, refusing to relinquish his hold even as they tumbled sideways.
Swallowing hard, Xiao Feng growled, "Take a taste of this…" Then he unleashed the full extent of the electric energy coursing within him—a brilliant cascade of sparks crackled, surging through Luke's body. The electric current forced Luke's wings to stretch open wide in agony, his fractured jaw lending him an expression of unbearable torment.
All who bore witness stood stunned—no one had anticipated that this seemingly frail figure would dispatch Duke Luke so swiftly, a true instant execution.
Upon seeing their leader captured, the cultists of the Evil Dragon Sect lost all resolve. Coupled with the savage assaults of Lin and Kerry—two wild cards—and the overwhelming presence of the eighth-level psychic K, their resistance crumbled within seconds. Despite wielding formidable weapons, the cultists were utterly subdued by K's magnetic evolution.
Panting heavily, Xiao Feng sat up and watched the cultists flee, offering a bitter chuckle as he struggled to rise.
Kerry grabbed the exhausted Xiao Feng: "Damn, is that all you've got? Look at you—pathetic."
Xiao Feng's fractured shin throbbed unbearably; unwilling to engage Kerry, he instead turned to K and Lin: "Quickly, restrain this bastard. We're taking him with us."
Lin seemed to understand and readied his powers to freeze Luke in ice.
But K stopped him, extending his right hand toward the wreckage of the command vehicle. A large sheet of metal groaned as it lifted from the debris, flying toward Luke and slowly enveloping his body.
Kerry frowned: "Why not just kill the bastard? Why keep him alive?"
Gasping for breath, Xiao Feng replied, "Are you that brainless? Keeping him's far more useful. First, we can use him as leverage to bargain with the Black Dragon King. Second, we can study how he grew those wings—if humans can truly be beastified like this, it means our enemies have yet another terrifying creature. Third, he's caused us hell for so long—letting him die so easily would be too simple."
Kerry shook his head, unable to fathom Xiao Feng's reasoning: "So what's next?"
Xiao Feng gestured at Luke, now cocooned like a chrysalis in metal. "We take this bastard to Black Whale City. K, you and the others head back to guard Godo City. Be extremely cautious—don't let the Evil Dragon Sect or the Alliance forces ambush you."
"Understood. No need to tell me twice…"
"If you need assistance, contact us. Kerry, let's move."
Kerry shook his head. Together with Lin, they hoisted the pained Duke Luke toward their modified sports car, then tossed him into the trunk. The bumpy journey of several hundred kilometers only intensified Luke's agony.
Xiao Feng hobbled over to the car, then limped back, picked up the Black Angel gun, disassembled it with a series of clicks, and tossed the parts into the backseat. Settling into the passenger seat, he reclined and lay back.
The day's ordeals had nearly drained him completely.
As Xiao Feng drifted toward sleep, Kerry shook his head and started the engine, exchanging farewells with K and Lin before speeding away.
Xiao Feng activated his communicator and connected to Rice: "Rice, how's the battle going?"
Rice frowned: "Not well. The second battlefield just concluded—three mech warriors were lost."
"What? Three mech warriors lost? Impossible. What kind of beasts were on the second battlefield?" Xiao Feng asked, surprised by the news.
"D-grade beasts—mutated rhinoceroses. The mutts fought fiercely alongside the mech warriors, but it took Rush and the Alliance Bureau's psychic envoys to finally eliminate the herd."
"Is the mutt alright?"
"He's fine. Now we're engaged in a fierce battle with the beasts on the third battlefield."
"What kind of beasts are on the third battlefield?" Xiao Feng realized that if the fight had dragged on this long, the creatures there must be even more formidable.
"The third battlefield hosts C-grade beasts—the Black Flame Python, a fire-breathing serpent. It's notoriously difficult to counter. We've deployed all armored units and armed helicopters near Black Whale City's northeast, about twenty kilometers out. The C-grade beasts have broken free from fire suppression and are crawling out of their tunnels. If they all emerge, the consequences will be catastrophic."