Two figures streaked through the vegetation of the Green Abyss, one trailing the other.
Su Wan led the way while Butcher gave chase.
Su Wan was fast, but Butcher was faster.
The physical capabilities of the Level 4 Early Stage were a full major realm above the Level 3 Late Stage.
Butcher moved through the undergrowth like a ghost, covering several meters with every stride. The humus beneath his feet compressed with muffled thuds as he propelled himself forward.
The gap between them was closing rapidly.
Two kilometers.
One and a half kilometers.
One kilometer.
Su Wan could clearly feel the approaching pressure. It was the unique aura of a Level 4 Ability User, crashing against her back like a physical wave.
Su Wan remained calm, maintaining the maximum speed of a Level 3 Late Stage expert as she sprinted.
As the distance between them narrowed, the doubt in Butcher’s heart grew heavier.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong!
He recalled the scene he had just witnessed near the ant nest.
That person had stood in the center of the swarm, and the ants had offered up the Shadow Crystal like subjects presenting tribute to a king.
That person could also shield his perception, preventing him from seeing their true face even within a few kilometers.
To achieve both of those things, their strength had to be superior to his!
At least Level 4 Mid Stage, if not higher.
A Level 4 Mid Stage Ability User, even one not specialized in speed, shouldn't be chased into such a pathetic state by a Level 4 Early Stage like himself.
Unless the other party had no intention of running at all!
Butcher’s heart rate suddenly spiked.
A conspiracy.
This was a trap!
The other party had deliberately used the Shadow Crystal to lure him in, intentionally showing a weakness and maintaining a pace that made him believe he could catch up.
And then what?
Butcher’s mind raced.
Were they leading him somewhere?
To the Terminal Station?
If this person really was from the Terminal Station, the purpose of leading him there was obvious.
Butcher unconsciously slowed his pace.
He couldn't let the other person lead him by the nose. He had to seize the initiative!
Butcher dropped his speed, transitioning from a full-tilt pursuit to a steady, unhurried follow.
The distance between them stabilized at about half a kilometer.
Su Wan’s mental power remained locked onto Butcher behind her.
She felt the pressure ease and the footsteps become less urgent.
Su Wan felt a slight sense of relief.
As expected, this paranoid killer had begun to hesitate.
However, she couldn't let it show; she had to keep acting.
Thus, Su Wan also slowed her pace, matching Butcher’s rhythm.
Butcher’s brow furrowed even deeper.
He slowed down, and the other person slowed down too.
For a moment, countless thoughts churned in Butcher’s mind.
What exactly is she trying to do?
What happens if I actually catch up?
Every thought pointed to the same conclusion—this was a trap.
But he couldn't let it go.
The Shadow Crystal was too important to him; it was the key to stabilizing his Level 4 foundation.
If he missed this chance, he didn't know how long he would have to wait for the next one.
Gritting his teeth, he continued to follow.
However, he strictly maintained that half-kilometer distance—not close enough to be in danger, but not far enough to lose the trail.
One after the other, they crossed the edge of the Green Abyss and entered the Ruin Zone.
The vegetation gradually thinned out, replaced by charred rubble and twisted rebar instead of dense vines and trees.
Su Wan’s gaze swept ahead.
The silhouette of the Terminal Station was already faintly visible.
Only one and a half kilometers to go.
She took a deep breath, stimulated her Ability Core, and accelerated.
Behind her, Butcher also sped up.
The distance between them remained at roughly half a kilometer.
Looking at the Terminal Station ahead, Su Wan knew the most critical moment had arrived.
If Butcher saw her enter the Terminal Station, his suspicious nature would definitely prevent him from following.
What she had to do was make Butcher lose his mind before she reached the station.
Su Wan silently calculated the distance.
Seven hundred meters.
She contacted the system through the mental link.
“System, deactivate the effects of the Breath Cloaking Spray.”
【Command confirmed. Deactivating Breath Cloaking effect...】
【Deactivation complete.】
The invisible shroud around Su Wan vanished in an instant.
The energy fluctuations of the Level 3 Late Stage erupted like a volcano being uncapped!
Simultaneously, Su Wan’s footsteps suddenly faltered. Her body lurched forward, and she nearly tumbled over.
She steadied herself, but her speed visibly dropped.
That clumsy posture and panicked movement were completely inconsistent with the strength a Level 4 Ability User should possess.
Behind her, Butcher’s pupils constricted violently.
That aura...
Level 3 Late Stage?
Not Level 4 Mid Stage, not even Level 4 Early Stage, but Level 3 Late Stage?!
Butcher froze.
His perception frantically swept over the figure ahead, confirming it over and over again.
Yes, it was Level 3 Late Stage!
The intensity and frequency of those energy fluctuations couldn't be faked!
The rage of being played exploded in Butcher’s heart like a volcanic eruption!
He, a Level 4 Early Stage Dark Department assassin, had been led around in circles by a Level 3 Late Stage ant!
Controlling Aberrants, shielding perception, Level 4 Mid Stage—
It was all a lie!
That stumble and the erupting aura were her true strength!
Butcher’s eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
The Shadow Crystal he so desperately craved was right there on that Level 3 Late Stage ant!
Butcher hesitated no longer. His body launched forward like an arrow from a bow, pouncing toward Su Wan!
His speed was several times faster than before. The gravel beneath his feet sprayed in all directions, and a sharp sonic boom trailed in the air!
To a Level 4 Ability User, a distance of half a kilometer was a matter of a few breaths.
Su Wan felt the furious aura behind her, and her heart actually grew calm.
She continued to run.
But compared to Butcher, her speed was like a snail’s.
Butcher watched as he closed in on Su Wan, his yellow-green vertical pupils churning with cruel light.
Level 3 Late Stage.
A mere ant that dared to mock him!
Butcher’s mouth slowly curled into a grin, revealing his uneven, yellowed teeth.
He would make this woman wish she were dead!
Fury consumed his last shred of reason.
At this moment, he didn't have time to think about anything else—why a Level 3 Late Stage could shield his perception, why the swarm would offer her a crystal, or why she seemed so confident despite her panicked flight.
Only one thought remained in his mind.
Kill her! Get the crystal!
The distance between them shrank rapidly.
Fifty meters.
Thirty meters.
Ten meters.
Su Wan could clearly feel the violent aura behind her, like a physical blade cutting into her back inch by inch.
Five meters.
Butcher raised his hand.
His fingers were as withered as dry wood, the tips a sickly grayish-white, and his nails were as black as ink, gleaming with an eerie luster under the dim sky.
Shadow-type energy condensed at his fingertips, transforming into five black blades that lunged straight for Su Wan’s back!
“Die!”
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