Rampant Killings

"This is a Type 64 pistol, typically used in precise operations. Chances are, the bald bruiser got it from a cop after the disaster struck. No matter how skilled Zhang Mu might be, he's only at Level 2. They're less than ten meters apart. The bullet won't miss at this distance, and for Zhang Mu, who only has 13 hit points left, it's a lethal threat.

The bald man pointed the gun at Zhang Mu and barked, "Not bad, kid! Make a move, and I'll shoot you on the spot!"

The chubby guy on the ground shouted, "Look closely! We're not monsters!"

The bald man retorted, "You lured all those creatures to the building. Are you trying to get us all killed?!"

Trying to play weak, Zhang Mu squinted, feigning exhaustion, "Those monsters won't come up. If you fire that gun, you'll attract even more from afar. We'll all be doomed."

The bald man growled, "Don't try to fool me, kid!"

"Hey, Hei Ge (Brother Hei)!" A henchman presented the chubby guy's axe to the bald man, "This axe is a piece of equipment!"

Infuriated, the chubby guy yelled, "Damn you! That's mine!"

"Shut up!"

The bald man gave a swift kick to the chubby guy, and a group closed in, beating him until his face was covered in blood.

"Nice!" The bald man seemed quite pleased with the axe's specs and glared menacingly at Zhang Mu, "Got any more gear on you?"

Zhang Mu had secretly stashed his dagger into his backpack when they burst in. Now appearing unarmed, he feigned both anger and fear, "Instead of dealing with the monsters outside, you turn on your own kind. Are you even human?"

"You dare lecture me?" The bald man shoved Zhang Mu, who exaggeratedly fell to the ground. Seeing this, the bald man sneered, "What a pathetic guy! Tie them up!"Tied hands and feet, the chubby man was dragged along by several thugs. Zhang Mu offered a brief symbolic resistance before they too bound his hands and feet. Shortly after, both of them were taken out of one private room and led into another.

Zhang Mu discreetly assessed the situation. There were about nine of them in total. The bald one, called Hei Ge, appeared to be the leader and was armed with a gun. The others carried machetes or similar weapons. Most of them had fought and defeated monsters, qualifying as players, thus gaining job enhancements and formidable combat abilities.

With an injured right arm and dwindling health, Zhang Mu wasn't in a good state, and the chubby man was even worse off, practically incapacitated. Resisting now would be irrational. It might be smarter to feign harmlessness. After all, Zhang Mu's dagger was in his backpack, ready to be drawn to cut their bindings. If given the chance to get close to Hei Ge, Zhang Mu would seize the moment, aiming to deliver a lethal blow.

Hei Ge, being highly cautious, had his men push the duo forward while he, armed with his gun, remained behind them, positioning himself in Zhang Mu's blind spot to prevent any surprise attacks.

In the other private room, the floor was awash with blood. A young man in a police uniform lay dead amidst the puddle, his face contorted in agony, eyes wide open in shock. Clearly, he'd been brutally slashed multiple times; at least twenty wounds were visible on his body. The corpse was still fresh, with blood oozing from the cuts.

Two women and a man sat huddled in a corner, bound and terrified, their faces pale and trembling with fear.

With a sinister grin, Hei Ge taunted, "If you lot don't behave, you'll end up just like him."

Zhang Mu and the chubby man were pushed into a corner, joining the other three captives.

At that moment, a shifty-looking thug asked, "Hei Ge, what should we do with these people?"

Hei Ge responded with a cold smirk, "Let's keep them for now. If monsters break in, we can use them as distractions."

The faces of the group paled, with a short-haired girl, who looked like a student, exclaiming, "If it wasn't for Jingcha's leadership, we would have been eaten by the monsters long ago! And you killed him just for a gun? You're beasts!"

"Oh, beasts?" Hei Ge responded with a sly smile rather than anger, his eyes sweeping over the two women. "It's been days since I've had some fun. Today, everyone gets a share!"

His cronies laughed, "Thanks, boss!"

One of the thugs pointed at a long-haired woman beside Zhang Mu, saying, "This woman is stunning, even more so than movie stars. And she's a doctor! Boss, why don't you take the lead?"

"Do I need your suggestion?" Hei Ge chuckled lecherously. "Strip her. Today, you all will witness something special."

The woman's long hair cascaded down, concealing her face, so her expression remained hidden. Yet, the subtle tremble in her frame revealed her terror. From Zhang Mu's perspective, her hands were tied behind her back. Between the index and middle finger of her right hand, she clutched a shard of glass. She was desperately trying to cut the ropes, her fingers getting cut in the process. But it seemed too late. The thugs approached, with Hei Ge eagerly unbuckling his belt.

Just then, a sound of shattering glass emanated from the neighboring room, intertwined with the faint cries of a cat-like creature.

Hei Ge jolted as if doused in cold water, shouting, "Damn, the monster is inside! Two of you stay here, the rest follow me!"

Leaving two of his men behind, Hei Ge and six others hurried out. Seizing the moment of their distraction, Zhang Mu drew a dagger, swiftly slicing through the ropes. The moment Hei Ge and his men stepped out, and the remaining two guards were still in a state of shock, Zhang Mu sprang to his feet!He moved like a cheetah that had been poised to strike, lunging at his prey. The glint from his short sword radiated a chilling brightness.

The two thugs didn't even have time to turn around. One of them was pierced straight through the neck, with half the blade protruding from his throat, splattering blood all over the face of the other. This man, eyes wide in horror and about to scream for help, watched as Zhang Mu withdrew his blade and turned his attention towards him.

Assassination!

That strike was as swift as lightning, its icy gleam slashing across the man's neck.

"Ugh…"

Clutching his bleeding neck, the man staggered backward. His vocal cords and carotid artery had been severed, rendering him unable to scream. Zhang Mu swiftly lunged forward, stabbing him repeatedly at rapid succession. In and out, stab and withdraw, until the man's life was extinguished, collapsing lifelessly on the ground.

Zhang Mu's actions were ruthlessly efficient, taking less than two seconds to take two lives without even blinking, his brutality outmatching the most hardened of hitmen.

A hefty man, beaten to within an inch of his life, wanted to shout out in distress.

Zhang Mu shot him a glance.

Wisely, the hefty man kept his mouth shut.

Zhang Mu then proceeded to cut the ropes binding three individuals.

Among the trio was a short-haired female student, around nineteen, of average build but with exceptionally fine features. While not strikingly beautiful, she exuded a pure and charming aura. Beside her was a woman in her mid-twenties with long black hair that obscured her face. Yet her fair skin, voluptuous curves, and slender waist were distinctly visible. The last was a man in his thirties, standing nearly six feet tall, powerfully built with a dark complexion, giving off an impression of being simple and straightforward.

The young student, her voice trembling, whispered, "You killed them..."

In the eyes of the three, there was a palpable mix of gratitude and fear.

Zhang Mu's appearance was far from flattering. Numerous cuts and wounds covered his body, with blood staining his entire figure. Evidence of burns marred his clothes and hair, which was unkempt and tangled. The sight of him suddenly leaping into action and taking down two men was nothing short of shocking.

"Good kill!" a chubby man cheered. "Those bastards deserved it!"

"They'll be back soon," Zhang Mu said, turning to the group. "Who among you hasn't acquired a primary skill yet?"

A statuesque young woman with a curvy build spoke softly, "I haven't."

Her voice was deep and melodious, incredibly captivating. Zhang Mu noticed her fingers dripping with blood, her fists clenched tightly. Yet, even in such a situation, she remained calm and determined. This woman was no ordinary individual.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Cold Rhyme," she replied.

"That small shard of glass won't do much harm. Best to toss it," he advised.

She stepped back, seemingly a bit apprehensive, but did not let go of the shard. Zhang Mu's respect for her grew. She seemed far more reliable than the chubby man. Without hesitation, he took a blue glowing orb from his backpack and handed it to her. "I have an extra skill orb here. I have no use for it, so it's yours."

Cold Rhyme examined it, her eyes lighting up slightly. "Thank you."

[Healing Hand lv1] – dd class skill, maximum level: lv5. Consumes 1 mana point per second, restores 2 health points to the target, with a range of 0.5 meters. This skill has no cooldown.

[Cold Rhyme] – Elemental Mage, Level 1. Health: 8 (80%), Mana: 30 (100%), Strength: 4, Constitution: 4, Agility: 4, Spirit: 11.

Zhang Mu remarked, "It's a decent healing spell."

Cold Rhyme's wariness towards Zhang Mu diminished significantly. "They have guns. Do you think you can handle them?"

He shook his head, replying, "Having a gun doesn't make them invincible."Leng Yun stepped forward, her palm emitting a soft white glow. This faint luminescence, sprinkled with tiny specks of light, fell upon Zhang Mu. His wounds began to close rapidly, and his health rejuvenated swiftly. In merely six or seven seconds, all the injuries on Zhang Mu's body had healed, and his health was fully restored.

The chubby guy watched in awe, his eyes widening. "That's an incredible skill! Can you heal me as well, young lady?"

Zhang Mu nodded and said, "I need an assistant. Heal him."

Leng Yun took about eight seconds to treat the chubby guy, who from a near-death state, immediately became vibrant and energetic. The skill "Healing Touch" was exceptionally practical, especially when potions were scarce early on. Possessing this skill made Leng Yun invaluable.

The sounds of battle subsided, and the Cat-people who had intruded were taken care of. Hei Ge returned with his men.

Zhang Mu made a gesture, "You three, hide."

The trio hid behind a table. Zhang Mu stood by the door, while the chubby guy picked up his axe and faced the wooden entrance, footsteps approaching closer.

Outside, Hei Ge's breath was heavy, "Damn, this place is cursed. We're leaving after tonight!"

"We've all got pent-up frustrations. Tonight, we'll have our fun with the two women."

"Sounds good."

As Hei Ge pushed the door open, the dim lighting inside made it hard for him to see clearly. Suddenly, a fiery-red energy erupted, enveloping the chubby guy. The radiant energy lit up the room, revealing him in a charging stance, clutching his double-axe.

"Shit!"

Hei Ge, in shock, was about to fire his gun when a short blade flew from the left, piercing his right arm and eliciting a scream from him.

"Barbaric Charge!"With a ferocious roar, Pang Ren pushed off the ground with all his might. He was enveloped in a crimson energy, charging forward like a runaway train at an astonishing speed. The impact was so immense, it was as if an explosion had taken place. The entire door shattered into pieces. Heigo and his crew were thrown back by the force; Heigo took the brunt of the collision. He was hurled five to six meters away, crashing hard against the wall. The powerful impact broke all his bones, and he slid down the wall, lifeless.