Chapter Fifty-One: Wetland Serpentfish (4)

Suddenly, a mass of snakefish surged out from the ground, writhing across the earth in a dense, nauseating swarm. The sight was so revolting that Gu Zhiheng couldn’t help but vomit; it was impossible to look closely without being overcome by disgust.

Who knew what Dustfate had done to summon such a horde? She must have cleared out nearly the entire nest. The act itself seemed a bit unscrupulous—at the very least, she could have left some behind.

“Come on, let’s get to it! All-you-can-eat grilled fish today—after this, you’ll never want grilled fish again in your life!” Gu Zhiheng called out mischievously, just loud enough for the wetland snakefish to hear every word.

But he didn’t care about that now. What mattered was dealing with the most formidable among the snakefish—the one with the highest rank.

The rest were beneath their notice; their target was clear. There was no need for hesitation or chatter, just direct action. After all the beatings he’d taken, Gu Zhiheng was experienced: if you can use your fists, don’t waste time talking.

Any time spent on pointless words could solve a dozen problems instead.

Without a second thought, Gu Zhiheng charged forward, launching himself straight at the Snakefish King. He fought fiercely and without restraint, launching lethal strikes from the very start, giving his opponent no chance to recover.

This time, Mo Han chose not to join the fray, standing aside to observe, curious to see how much Gu Zhiheng had improved.

Chu Xingran had intended to help but was stopped by Mo Han. If Gu Zhiheng couldn’t handle an opponent of this level, he might as well retire and live out his days in Golden Phoenix Town.

Dustfate, on the other hand, couldn’t be restrained—she charged off to take revenge on the snakefish that had tried to eat her. This woman bore grudges with a vengeance.

“No need to jump in. Let’s watch for now; if things get critical, we can step in later,” Mo Han said, draping his arm over Chu Xingran’s shoulders as they watched the battle unfold from a short distance.

Gu Zhiheng’s combat prowess was impressive—every strike landed true, each blow fatal.

The Snakefish King, however, was not so easily defeated. Snakefish after snakefish flung themselves in front of their leader, blocking Gu Zhiheng’s attacks. The fight became a one-against-many, a relentless war of attrition as the enemy sought to wear him down.

Meanwhile, Dustfate dominated her side of the field, exacting her revenge with single-minded ferocity. She ignored all others, focusing solely on her chosen victim. A woman’s capacity for holding grudges, her thirst for vengeance—truly, it was terrifying.

Chu Xingran was the same; whenever she was in a bad mood, her fighting strength increased severalfold.

“See that? He can handle it solo. Let’s leave these chances to him in the future,” Mo Han remarked. Watching from the sidelines was enough; from now on, every battlefield would be Gu Zhiheng’s alone.

After enduring so many beatings, it was time for him to dish some out and vent his frustration.

Gu Zhiheng’s strikes grew ever more ruthless. Soon, the bodies of snakefish piled up before him.

The Snakefish King, seeing her numbers dwindling, finally lost her composure. With a powerful sweep of her tail, she scattered the snakefish that stood between them and came at Gu Zhiheng herself.

She thought he must be exhausted after such a prolonged fight, but the moment she engaged him, she realized he had been holding back all along.

“Oh, you’re angry now? Decided to do it yourself?” Gu Zhiheng taunted. The Snakefish King truly was heartless, watching so many of her kin die without lifting a fin.

Cold-blooded and unfeeling—there was no need to draw things out. A swift, decisive strike was best.

Against such a creature, showing mercy would be a waste. The only solution was to end it quickly, leaving no chance to retaliate.

“You dare kill so many of my children and grandchildren? You’ll join them in death!” the Snakefish King roared, lashing her tail at Gu Zhiheng in a frenzy.

Gu Zhiheng was unimpressed. After all, she’d stood by and watched her kin perish—what did it matter to blame him now? If she truly cared, why didn’t she intervene earlier? What was the point of such words now?

“You old thing! You let them die at first, and now you care?” he sneered. Shameless, rotten fish—there was no end to her hypocrisy.

“How dare you insult me! Prepare to die!” The Snakefish King was enraged that a mere mortal dared to offend her.

As the Snakefish King grew serious, Gu Zhiheng’s demeanor shifted into cool arrogance. One hand wove seals, the other drew talismans, preparing to finish the creature with a single blow.

Lately, he hadn’t been sleeping well. Once he obtained the fishbone, he intended to return for a good rest, and then treat himself to a decent meal.

But the Snakefish King’s attacks were relentless, mad and indiscriminate, not caring who or what lay in her path.

Watching her berserk assault, Gu Zhiheng rolled his eyes. What a damned creature this was.

“Gu Zhiheng, stop wasting time—finish it quickly and I’ll treat you to a meal!” Mo Han called from the sidelines, offering food as an incentive for him to hurry up.

“If that’s not enough, we’ll take you out for drinks—all around the city!” Chu Xingran chimed in, the expert in these matters, joining Mo Han in urging Gu Zhiheng on.

Sure enough, the mention of food and drink made Gu Zhiheng’s hands move faster.

He ignored the Snakefish King’s provocations, his every strike aimed at her most vital points.

The snakefish’s body was built like a serpent’s; Gu Zhiheng launched attack after attack at the seven-inch mark, throwing himself into the fight for the promise of a good meal and drink.

He even used techniques he rarely resorted to, his desire for food and drink overpowering all else.

After starving for so long atop Mistbrow Mountain, if the thought of a feast didn’t tempt him now, he might as well have renounced all mortal desires.

His hands moved with blinding speed, paying no heed to the Snakefish King’s attacks. With a leap, he landed squarely on the seven-inch mark of her body.

Channeling his talisman into a sword, he drove it down with all his might.

The Snakefish King let out an unwilling, furious roar before collapsing in defeat. With practiced efficiency, Gu Zhiheng drew his knife, sliced open her flesh at the vital spot, extracted the fishbone, and departed.

As for the mass of snakefish corpses, a few fire talismans and a barrier would take care of the problem.

Once everything was tidied up, Gu Zhiheng strolled leisurely toward Chu Xingran and the others.

The matter settled, it was time to eat and drink their fill.

“Let’s go—change clothes and head out for a meal. After that, we’ll tour the city for drinks,” Mo Han declared, true to his word, leading the group toward the parking area.

“Are you coming with me? I just bought a new car—it’s pretty nice,” Gu Zhiheng offered. While it wasn’t as flashy as Mo Han’s multimillion-dollar ride, he was fond of it.

“No thanks, we’ll meet you at the Chigang City Grand Hotel—we’re staying there,” Chu Xingran and Dustfate replied, faces clearly saying they’d rather not, as they headed for Mo Han’s car.

No one wanted to ride with Gu Zhiheng. His driving skills were notorious—only the truly reckless would risk it. Life was precious, after all!

Seeing them refuse, Gu Zhiheng didn’t mind. He got into his car and drove off himself.

He did drive a bit faster, but what was the harm in that? When those two were behind the wheel of their sports cars, they never complained about speed.

Women were such hypocrites—what was perfectly fine for them became a problem when it was him!