Chapter 9: Severance

Knight’s squire! With the data provided by the intelligent core, Lin Wei immediately made his judgment.

In every respect, he’s inferior to me, not to mention I have the core’s assistance… A faint smile played at Lin Wei’s lips as he murmured to himself, “Come on, this is the perfect opportunity to test the full extent of my abilities!”

Lin Wei moved—swift as lightning!

“So fast!” Felix instantly assessed, barely managing to parry Lin Wei’s cross sword with his greatsword.

“How is this possible?!” Felix’s eyes bulged in disbelief. “So young, yet so incredibly strong! Could he be a top graduate from the War Academy?!”

With a furious roar, Felix suddenly hurled his massive sword at Jon!

From that brief exchange, Felix had realized that even if he could escape, he would never succeed in killing Jon. That would mean the loss of hundreds of comrades and years of painstaking effort!

Rather than simply fleeing, he’d risk everything and throw away his weapon!

Jon turned ashen with terror at the sight of the greatsword hurtling toward him.

“Get away from him!”

Lin Wei darted forward, snatching the airborne greatsword and, using its spinning momentum, flung it aside once more.

“I’ve failed!” Felix’s face contorted with rage, but he had no other choice.

Escape!

Felix turned and ran, jaw clenched tight.

“There’s an assassin!” At that moment, the voice of a Tulip Guard finally rang out!

“Damn it! What went wrong? No one was supposed to come for another ten minutes!” Felix suddenly realized how dangerous his position had become.

His hair stood on end!

Felix glanced back. A row of guards, each armed with a crossbow, aimed directly at him! No matter what level of squire he was, if he was hit by this many bolts, he would surely die!

Felix reacted instantly, lowering his head and sprinting away.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

A flurry of crossbow bolts whistled through the air like a swarm of locusts!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Despite all his efforts to dodge, Felix was struck by several bolts. The closest call was one that pierced his chest—just a little to the side, and it would have shredded his heart.

On the brink of death, Felix’s every ounce of potential exploded forth, his already superhuman speed ratcheting even higher.

“My lord, please stay here. I’ll handle him,” Lin Wei said, glancing after the fleeing Felix, his tone reassuring.

Jon’s pallor flushed into a furious red. “Tulip Guards—useless, all of them! Useless! In just a few days, I’ve survived two assassination attempts! Kill Felix! Lin Wei, go kill that wretch!”

Lin Wei said no more, but pursued Felix in the direction he had fled.

He commanded the intelligent core to activate its detection function, and the state of everything within three hundred meters was laid bare before him!

He knows the terrain well, it seems. Even wounded, he’s managed to slip beyond my detection range.

Lin Wei advanced rapidly, following the blood trail with his cross sword in hand.

Around Tulip Manor, aside from the main gate, dense forests grew everywhere. Wild animals roamed, and in the darkness of night, anyone else would likely have lost Felix’s trail.

But Lin Wei was different—he had the intelligent chip!

For Felix, those few minutes of flight felt like a decade. As he ran, he pulled the crossbow bolts from his body. It bled more, but it wouldn’t impede his movements as badly.

He poured all his will into controlling the muscles around his wounds, slowly forcing them closed. As a knight’s squire, he could fully control his muscle contractions for a short time. He knew that if he kept bleeding, the Tulip guards would soon track him down by his blood.

Though the blood gradually dried, Felix felt his mind growing foggy.

At last, he collapsed to the ground.

I can’t die here…

With sheer willpower, Felix dragged himself behind a thick tree trunk.

The pain was excruciating, every breath a struggle from the wound in his chest.

Am I really… going to use that? Felix’s eyes filled with hesitation as he reached into the hidden pocket sewn into the inside of his trouser leg.

After a moment’s fumbling, he drew out a dark green ring engraved with mysterious runes.

Felix’s expression shifted again and again.

At that moment, Lin Wei suddenly came to a halt.

Oh? No bloodstains within three hundred meters? He must be using muscle control to hide the bleeding.

Lin Wei let out a soft laugh. But so what? It’s only temporary… As soon as he moves, the blood will flow again! So, if he’s motionless, he must be nearby—just beyond the intelligent core’s detection range…

Lin Wei’s eyes grew sharp as a hawk’s.

He broke into a run, slashing at the trees as he went.

“Come out, Felix! I’ll chop down every tree here if I have to! How long can you hide?!”

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

Tree after tree fell beneath Lin Wei’s sword.

He’s here! Felix gritted his teeth against the pain in his chest, forcing himself to keep his breathing shallow, terrified that Lin Wei would discover him. His gaze hardened as he looked at the dark green ring.

“Come out, Felix! You’re Du Weier’s elder brother, aren’t you? Listen—I caught your sister Du Weier. I shattered her jaw! Broke her limbs! Can you imagine such agony?”

Having ascended to the rank of knight’s squire, Lin Wei’s instincts and senses were razor-sharp. He could detect the slightest changes around him. The chip’s detection range was three hundred meters, but his vision reached even farther.

Du Weier! Felix clenched his teeth, bloodshot eyes nearly bursting.

“Brother, we must avenge our family!”

“Brother, from today we are people of Sword and Flower!”

“Brother, for justice and freedom, let us fight with all we have!”

At the same time, the faces of those sacrificed brothers and sisters appeared in Felix’s mind.

“Felix, you’re the most gifted child I’ve ever known. After I die, you must uphold the honor of Sword and Flower!”

“Felix, freedom and justice are our eternal pursuits. Never be afraid, no matter what!”

…

A sound? Lin Wei instantly sensed a faint disturbance in the distance.

Through the intelligent core’s surveillance, Lin Wei spotted Felix hiding behind a tree.

“Felix! I’ve found you!” Lin Wei bellowed, his power surging, the urge to explode with violence overwhelming him. He charged forward, cross sword in hand.

…

Du Weier! Sword and Flower!

Felix’s expression suddenly relaxed, replaced by calm determination.

With life and blood, I will defend the honor of Sword and Flower! Our duty is to correct the world’s twisted order! I, Felix, do not fear death!

Felix darted out from behind the tree.

“Ready to die, Felix?!” Lin Wei’s eyes gleamed with the madness of newfound strength.

Felix raised his right hand in a flash, resolute determination flooding his features. “Order will be restored! Die, lapdog of the nobility! History will spit and curse your name forever!”

As he spoke, a faint glow emanated from the dark green ring on Felix’s right hand.

Ding!

Unknown dangerous source detected! Advise host to evacuate immediately!

Danger!

Lin Wei’s skin prickled with cold, his heart nearly stopping.

Escape!

He turned and fled without a second thought.