A Core Ship From The Start

Chapter 334: 263. Distinguish_1

“A deal?”

Upon hearing the man’s words, Duanmu Huai turned his head, staring at him coldly. Then, he began to stride towards the pair.

“You heretics dare to negotiate with a Judge?”

“Er……”

Seeing Duanmu Huai unbothered, walking towards them, the man was at a loss for words. He initially thought that Duanmu Huai would at least listen to what he had to say. What unexpectedly surprised him was Duanmu Huai’s indifference to the current situation!

“Stay where you are! Or I’ll kill her!”

As the man spoke, he signaled the special forces soldier to trace his gun against Ashley’s forehead once again. She was scared pale, but couldn’t utter a word — Ashley is fully aware that this big guy, Duanmu Huai, was not going to fall for this!

“What does her life or death have to do with me?”

Duanmu Huai scoffed at the man’s words. He himself is a Judge and will act as a Judge should. He is not one of those overly compassionate Black Lizards. Anyone who dares to obstruct a Judge’s mission has just one path, death.

Even if it’s The Emperor, Duanmu Huai would regard him as a heretic.

Nobody can stop the Tribunal!

Nobody at all!

“Damn,.. kill him!!”

Seeing that Duanmu Huai wasn’t the least bit moved by their threat, the man became anxious and hurriedly ordered the special forces soldier, who immediately raised his gun and pulled the trigger at Duanmu Huai.

“Bang bang bang!!!”

With the ringing of gunshots, bullets flew, striking Duanmu Huai’s chest, yet this didn’t slow down his stride. He just glanced at the place where he was shot, brushed it off with disdain, and continued to walk forward as if he was untouched.

“Damn……”

Seeing this, the special forces soldier’s face turned pale. He shoved Ashley away, then stared sternly at Duanmu Huai, clenching his left hand. Quickly, his left hand began to twist and deform, changing in an instant into a monstrous hand with sharp claws, and one of the barbs sprung out like a scimitar from the back of his hand.

“Go to hell, monster!!”

Then, the special forces soldier let out a roar, charging directly at Duanmu Huai. Seeing this, Ashley, standing at the side, had a twitch in her eye.

You have the audacity to call others monsters?

Although Ashley has such sarcastic thoughts, she could somewhat understand the soldier’s thinking. Even though his body had mutated, at least she still saw him as a human. However, when Duanmu Huai stood there, he gave off an indescribable sense of awe and terror which didn’t seem human at all, more like a terrifying monster or beast — perhaps for this very reason, Ashley, who was obviously their hostage, felt no panic but rather concern…

Don’t drag me down if you’re courting death! I don’t want to anger that big guy!

The special forces soldier clearly didn’t hear Ashley’s internal complaints. He lunged at Duanmu Huai at high speed, sweeping his blade towards Duanmu Huai’s neck. In his view, this strike was even capable of causing significant damage to the giant in front of him.

Go to hell!

The sharp blade tore through the air, headed for Duanmu Huai’s neck—— and then it stopped.

“Huh?”

At this moment, the special forces soldier remained in attack posture, his mutated left hand’s blade pressed against Duanmu Huai’s neck, but failing to even pierce his skin. The soldier felt like he wasn’t battling flexing flesh, but rather something built of steel and granite.

Duanmu Huai slightly tilted his neck, and though he did not speak, his eyes on the soldier conveyed his thoughts.

That’s all?

“Haah……!!”

However, just when the soldier realized the situation and planned to retreat, Duanmu Huai reached out his right hand, grabbed the soldier’s mutated left arm, and squeezed.

“Aaaaahhh!!!”

With the painful scream, the soldier’s mutated arm was crushed by Duanmu Huai as easily as a dried twig. The soldier, having great battle experience, tried to kick Duanmu Huai in the chest in an attempt to create a distance between them. However, to his surprise, just as his foot landed on Duanmu Huai’s chest, Duanmu Huai’s other hand had already reached out, grabbing his leg and brutally slamming him to the ground.

“Thump!!!”

With this attack, the soldier was thrown in all directions, and before he could even react, Duanmu Huai had already stomped on his head.

“Squish!”

Splashing blood and skull fragments flew everywhere, and the soldier’s body twitched before falling still.

“You, you…….. ”

Watching this, Ashley had gone numb, but the robed man who was left behind looked horrible. He staggered backward. However, Duanmu Huai clearly wouldn’t let him off, he casually tossed aside the soldier’s body, and moved towards the man.

“Who are you really? What do you want?”

At this moment, facing Duanmu Huai, the man was on the verge of collapse.

“You want to rule the world, don’t you? Right? I can help you! We can rule this world together! You know, as long as these parasites exist… we can control all humans in the world…..!”

“………”

“Or is it that you want money? No problem, you can have as much money as you want… I have plenty of money…..”

“………”

“What… what exactly do you want!”

The man started retreating step-by-step, while Duanmu Huai quietly moved forward, coming up to him. Just then, Ashley suddenly discovered a tentacle creeping out from underneath the man’s cloak. It silently bypassed Duanmu Huai and moved behind him.

“Watch out, big guy!!”

Upon seeing this, Ashley hurriedly shouted a warning. At the same time, that tentacle abruptly sprang out, wrapping directly around Duanmu Huai’s neck. Simultaneously, the man’s cloak ripped apart abruptly, his mouth stretched wide open, revealing a large eyeball. Following this, the man’s other tentacles also lashed forward, tightly winding around Duanmu Huai’s body.

“Die!”

The man, with blood-shot eyes, was trying to swallow Duanmu Huai whole. However, before he could make his next move, Duanmu Huai roared, spread his arms and broke free from the tentacles wrapped around him. He then moved his hands towards the man’s head as if swatting a mosquito and slapped it forcefully.

“Smack!!”

Like an egg, the man’s head cracked open between Duanmu Huai’s hands. He then collapsed onto the ground weakly, motionless.

Searing flames consumed everything.

“God, what’s happening……”

Standing at the entrance of the village, with eyes wide open, Leon was stunned at the sight of the village swallowed up by the flames, and the charred bodies that lay before him. Just a moment ago, he had arrived here in a local police vehicle, to carry out his mission – to rescue Ashley. However, to his surprise, when he finally reached, all he found was a village completely devoured by flames. The fire was so intense that it even ignited the surrounding woods, swallowing everything around him.

What exactly happened here? Is Ashley safe? I hope she hasn’t been killed!

Just as Leon was standing there perplexed, not knowing where to start, Duanmu Huai was standing on a nearby hillside with Ashley, looking down at Leon and two police officers. He then turned his head toward Ashley.

“Alright, your rescuers are here. You can leave now.”

“But… aren’t you coming with us, big guy?”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s words, Ashley seemed a bit uneasy. Although being around this man was a bit frightening, she knew she wouldn’t have been able to escape without him.

“Why don’t we go together? I can introduce you to my father…”

“There’s no need.”

Duanmu Huai shook his head.

“We won’t be interacting much. I have my mission to complete, and what you need to do now is go home. Do you understand what I mean?”

“So… we’ll never meet again?”

“Unless you manage to get caught by some Heretical Cultist again, we might have a chance to meet.”

No, that wouldn’t be a good idea.

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s reply, Ashley fell silent for a moment before stepping forward and hugging Duanmu Huai.

“No matter what, thank you, big guy. Goodbye.”

Having said that, Ashley waved goodbye to Duanmu Huai and then walked down the hill.

“Splash.”

While Leon and two local policemen were standing there, stumped and unsure of what to do, they heard the sound of footsteps. Leon quickly turned his head and saw a blonde girl walking out from the woods.

“Ashley?!”

Even though he had never met her before, Leon, who had seen her photo, immediately recognized her as Ashley, the one he was meant to save.

But… why would she come running out from the woods all alone? And why was she covered in blood?

“Who are you?”

Watching Leon, Ashley seemed a bit alert. The latter quickly lowered his gun and approached Ashley.

“I’m the one your father sent to rescue you……what exactly happened here? Are you okay, Ashley?”

“I’m fine.”

While speaking, Ashley looked over her shoulder—at the distant hillside where there was now no one in sight.

Seeing this, a glimmer of regret flashed in Ashley’s eyes. She then turned back, looking at Leon.

“Alright, let’s go home. As for what happened here, I’ll tell you later.”

Then, Ashley began to speak.