chsdbacks Chapter 19 Zhou Kaiquan
Chapter 19 Zhou Kaiquan
Zhou Kaiquan did not follow Lin Yan into the thicket of thorns.
He stood outside the thicket of thorns, watching Su Wenyuan grimace as he was pricked by the thorns, and frowned slightly.
Then he turned around and walked in another direction.
He wasn't familiar with the mountains, but he had a good eye for people.
A person who grew up in the mountains wouldn't wander into a thicket of thorns for no reason. The fact that he did so means there's a path behind the thorns.
Zhou Kaiquan took a long detour, crossing the ridge to cut off Lin Yan's possible route.
He walked for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, until he reached a low cliff on the other side of the ridge.
Standing on the low cliff, he could see a large expanse of forest below.
He hadn't waited long when he saw Lin Yan emerge from the other end of the thorn bushes.
Then he saw Lin Yan pause for a moment, then turn and run.
Zhou Kaiquan's eyes darkened.
This kid has spotted him.
It wasn't luck; it was a genuine discovery.
How could a wandering bone collector discover Zhou Kaiquan's whereabouts?
Zhou Kaiquan jumped down from the low cliff and chased after him.
Lin Yan ran very fast.
After mastering the basic body training, his physical strength improved many times over, and he could run like the wind.
But he couldn't shake off the person behind him.
No matter how he turned, how he circled, or how he used the terrain, that person always lingered behind him, neither too close nor too far, like a piece of chewing gum that he couldn't shake off.
Lin Yan ran for more than an hour, from the east side of Black Wind Ridge to the west side, and then from the west side to the north side, crossing three mountain ridges, passing two streams, and traversing five forests.
Looking back, the person was still there.
And it doesn't look tiring at all.
Lin Yan leaned against a big tree, panting heavily.
He's not doing well.
[Basic Body Training] gave him physical strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, but he had only been training for less than half a month, and he was still far from being a true master.
If he keeps running at this pace, he'll be exhausted on his own without anyone having to lift a finger.
The more critical the situation, the more Lin Yan forced himself to calm down.
Since there's no way to escape anyway, I might as well avoid the main road.
Lin Yan's eyes darted around, then he buried his head and ran towards the path beside him.
Cliffs, ravines, thickets of thorns, and piles of rocks.
Lin Yan would deliberately venture into places where the roads were difficult to travel.
This trick worked.
The person behind him slowed down noticeably, not because he was running out of energy, but because the road was too difficult to walk, and even he had to slow down.
Lin Yan crawled into a rocky area, squatted down behind a large rock, and gasped for breath.
I was practically collapsed on the ground, while the other guy was acting like nothing had happened.
Every step is taken in the most energy-efficient position, and every turn is made without wasting any extra effort.
This is completely different from Wang Agou's showy style.
This is what a true martial artist is.
Lin Yan closed his eyes and began to replay the scene of that person chasing him in his mind.
Although he didn't look back as he ran, his "Mountain View" was constantly trying to catch the presence of the person behind him.
The frequency of footsteps, the landing position, the angle of turning, and the rhythm of breathing.
These pieces of information were scattered in his mind, and now he was piecing them together one by one.
[Skill: Basic Sketching (Beginner) (87/500)]
Lin Yan opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them.
He was imitating that person's technique of exerting force.
It's not a movement, it's exertion of force.
With each step that person took, the power didn't come from their legs, but from their waist, from their core.
So he runs fast and steadily, and doesn't get tired easily.
Lin Yan tried to stand up and ran a few steps, imitating that way of exerting force.
Awkward.
His body was used to his old running style, and suddenly having to change it made him feel completely out of sorts.
But he didn't stop; he kept running, adjusting his pace as he went.
【Basic Sketching (Beginner) (91/500)】
【Basic Sketching (Beginner) (96/500)】
The panel is jumping around very fast.
The person behind them caught up again.
Lin Yan stopped running in a straight line and started circling the rocky hill, mimicking the man's footwork and power techniques as he went.
He was using that person's pursuit as a teaching tool.
Zhou Kaiquan chased after them for half an hour before finally realizing something was wrong.
That kid in front is running more and more steadily.
At first, Lin Yan's footsteps were heavy and disordered, like a startled rabbit, hopping and skipping, making it seem like there were flaws everywhere.
But now, his footsteps are lighter and more even, and he turns more nimbly.
This is not a sign of being tired.
The sound of weary footsteps should become heavier and more disordered.
This kid is getting better and better at running.
Zhou Kaiquan's eyes changed.
He's imitating me.
The moment this thought crossed Zhou Kaiquan's mind, a chill ran down his spine.
A bone collector, while being chased, secretly learns the footwork of his pursuers as he runs.
What kind of monster is this?
Zhou Kaiquan sped up, giving Lin Yan no more room to maneuver.
Lin Yan's pressure suddenly increased.
His proficiency in [Simple Imitation] increased rapidly, but no matter how fast it increased, he was still just a beginner, while his opponent was an entry-level martial artist.
The gap is too big.
Lin Yan rushed out of the rocky hill and ran towards the mountain stream.
The terrain on the other side of the mountain stream is more complicated; perhaps we can shake him off there.
Halfway through the run, a person suddenly appeared in front of me.
Su Wenyuan.
He somehow managed to get around to the front and was now blocking Lin Yan's way.
Lin Yan paused in his steps.
A pincer attack from both sides.
He stopped and stood between two large rocks. To his left was a steep slope, to his right a dense forest, in front of him was Su Wenyuan, and behind him was Zhou Kaiquan.
Can't run away.
Su Wenyuan looked at him, but didn't make a move. He just stood there, blocking the way.
Zhou Kaiquan walked over from behind and stopped a dozen steps behind Lin Yan.
"Kid," Zhou Kaiquan's voice was neither warm nor cold, "Don't run away. Come back with us. Manager Zhao has a few questions for you."
Lin Yan turned around and looked at Zhou Kaiquan.
This was the first time he had seen the person who had been chasing him all morning clearly.
He was in his thirties, of medium build, dressed in a short gray cloth outfit, and of average appearance.
But those eyes were extraordinary.
It was as still as a stagnant pool, with no bottom in sight.
Lin Yan tightened his grip on the wood-chopping knife.
"What if I don't go?"
Zhou Kaiquan didn't say anything, but took a step forward.
At this point, Lin Yan's [Viewing the Mountain] skill triggered a frantic warning.
It wasn't murderous intent, it was aura.
Something invisible and intangible, yet undeniably real, pressed down on Zhou Kai like a wall.
Lin Yan's breath hitched.
Is this what a rank-1 martial artist is like?
Zhou Kaiquan took another step forward.
Lin Yan stepped back, his back hitting a rock.
There was no way to retreat.
Zhou Kaiquan reached out and grabbed Lin Yan's shoulder.
This grab wasn't fast, it could even be described as slow, but Lin Yan found himself unable to dodge it.
It wasn't a matter of speed; it was that his body was suppressed by that aura, causing him to react a beat too slowly.
Her hand landed on Lin Yan's shoulder.
Five fingers gripped his shoulder blades like iron clamps.
Lin Yan grunted and swung the machete in his right hand toward Zhou Kaiquan's wrist.
With a casual flick of his other hand, Zhou Kaiquan sent the woodcutter's knife flying, clattering as it landed on the ground.
The gap is too big.