Chapter 393: A Battle in the Same Realm

The empty hallway was silent, with only Chen Erbao's voice echoing through it.

This was an ordinary hotel. While it was a clear step up from the average roadside inn, its security was nowhere near the level of a place in Vienna. This was why the person outside had been able to sneak up to Chen Erbao's door undetected.

Lin Zhiqing hid behind Chen Erbao, carefully peeking her head out to look outside.

"Er Bao, I don't see any— Ah!"

The moment she spoke, a tall figure landed with a WHOOSH in the doorway, blocking out all the light.

Chen Erbao's expression remained calm and composed. He looked at the newcomer and chuckled softly.

"Last time we met, you said your name was Ge... what was it again?"

"Gesang," a heavy voice replied.

"Right, Gesang. What can I do for you?"

"Someone paid to have you killed. I took the job."

Gesang's tone was completely devoid of emotion, like a robot.

Hearing this, Lin Zhiqing secretly tugged on Chen Erbao's sleeve, looking at him with a worried expression.

Chen Erbao turned and patted her hand reassuringly before looking back at Gesang with a disdainful smile.

"You?"

Gesang's expression finally shifted. He took a step forward, and his face, previously hidden in shadow, was revealed to them.

His rugged features radiated ferocity. His tall, powerfully built frame was intimidating. Even though a loose robe concealed his body, one could easily imagine the ridiculously large muscles underneath.

A hint of battle lust glinted in his eyes.

"I fully accept my loss to you on Changbai Mountain. But I've since had a breakthrough and have successfully been promoted to a Gold Medal Grandmaster Assassin in my organization. So I've come to request a rematch. Even if I win, I won't kill you. Consider it repayment for sparing my life back then."

Chen Erbao let out a dry laugh.

"And what if you lose again?"

"As an assassin, I've already accepted the possibility of death. I won't blame anyone."

Not a ripple of emotion showed in his eyes. Even when speaking of his own death, he was perfectly calm, as if discussing some trivial matter.

Chen Erbao raised an eyebrow, studying him with keen interest.

He could tell this man was a fanatic obsessed with Martial Arts. He saw only opponents, and death held no fear for him.

"I sensed you the moment you entered the hallway. Do you really think you can beat me?"

Hearing Chen Erbao's words, Gesang fell silent.

"You're right. You must have broken through as well... But you probably haven't surpassed the Grandmaster Realm. We're still in the same Realm. And as long as we're in the same Realm, I have no reason to be afraid."

"Heh, want to take this outside and have a go? There's not enough room to move in here," Chen Erbao asked.

Gesang gestured with his arm. "Please."

Like flashes of lightning, the two figures shot down the hallway in the blink of an eye, leaped out the window at the far end, and vanished into the night.

Lin Zhiqing looked worried. Just as she was about to run out and see what was happening, Chen Erbao's voice reached her ears.

"Don't worry. Wait here for me. I'll be right back."

Hearing Chen Erbao's confident words, Lin Zhiqing relaxed a little, but she was still on edge.

'Someone hired an assassin... who could it be? No, I have to get Second Uncle to investigate this later!' she thought to herself.

...

Under the dark curtain of night, two shadows flitted like the wind across skyscrapers, finally stopping at an unfinished construction site.

Seeing no surveillance cameras around, Gesang immediately took off his hat, revealing a head of short hair. A prominent scar was visible on his forehead, running from his scalp to the corner of his eye.

Chen Erbao stopped ten meters behind him, his posture relaxed.

"Which assassin organization do you belong to?"

Gesang said in his heavy voice, "Beat me, and you can know whatever you want to know."

He spread his feet slightly, and his eyes instantly sharpened, locking onto Chen Erbao.

Chen Erbao, in turn, felt a sliver of pressure, as if he were being stared down by a hungry wolf. He subconsciously mobilized his Spiritual Power.

SWISH!

Gesang stomped his feet hard. The concrete ground suddenly cracked as he vanished on the spot. The next moment, he reappeared in front of Chen Erbao, a fist blasting toward his face.

Chen Erbao's expression didn't change. He simply took a step back while raising a hand to block.

Midway through the punch, the ferocious power vanished without a trace, and Gesang retreated once more.

The first punch was a test. Chen Erbao had chosen a steady retreat, and Gesang didn't press the attack.

The two men looked at each other, both falling silent.

The atmosphere grew heavier as an invisible aura slowly spread from them.

Amidst the silence, Gesang's figure vanished again.

Chen Erbao's expression remained impassive, but his entire body suddenly fell backward. At the same time, Gesang's roundhouse kick tore through the air, whistling over his head.

Planting one hand on the ground, Chen Erbao launched both feet into the air, kicking up toward Gesang's chest. But Gesang was completely unfazed. He flipped in mid-air, grazing past Chen Erbao's legs and sliding to the side.

The exchange ended with them separated once more, but this time, Gesang had no intention of backing down.

He let out a cold shout and leaped into the air. His nearly exhausted meridians suddenly surged with internal energy. His body trembled, and he shot forward in mid-air, crashing toward Chen Erbao, who had yet to regain his footing.

Although Chen Erbao was a bit surprised, he wasn't flustered. He thrust out a palm as large as a fan, striking Gesang's shoulder.

A terrifying force surged from his palm, traveling up his arm and through his entire body, knocking Chen Erbao off-balance and sending him flying sideways.

BAM... CLANG!

Behind him was a solid iron cement mixer twice his height, which Chen Erbao knocked over on impact.

Before Chen Erbao could even catch his breath, something dark blotted out his vision!

Chen Erbao instinctively threw up a hand to block, smacking away an incoming steel rebar. But as his guard was wide open, Gesang closed in again.

Five fingers, trailing a sharp, whistling wind, clawed viciously at Chen Erbao's eyes!

Chen Erbao marveled internally, filled with admiration for Gesang's combat experience.

'Last time, I simply crushed him with my superior Grandmaster Realm, so he never got to show his true strength. This time, he's finally getting a chance to make his moves! However... rich combat experience often gives one the upper hand when fighting someone of the same realm. But unfortunately for him, I'm different!'

Just as Gesang's claw-like hand was about to land on Chen Erbao's face, Chen Erbao's feet moved.

It was like an invisible gust of wind blowing past Gesang.

Before his astonished eyes, Gesang watched as Chen Erbao... vanished!

He hadn't even seen a trace of him; he had just disappeared into thin air!

Gesang was shocked. A cold sweat suddenly broke out on his back. Without a second thought, he sank his qi into his Dantian, dropped into a half-squat, and threw a soaring uppercut behind him.

CRACK!

It was a soaring uppercut, a move that drew power from the ground and traveled upward to deliver over one hundred percent of a fighter's strength.

Although Gesang had thrown the move in a hurry, the power it contained was still terrifying!

And yet...

Gesang froze on the spot, stunned.

That ferocious punch was stopped dead, resting as lightly as a feather in the palm of Chen Erbao's hand.