257: Chapter 257 Laser Sword Dance, Chen Wuwang's Might

Smoke still rose from the collapsed mountain, and heat waves rolled over the scorched earth. Deep fissures split the ground in front of the scree slope, as if the earth had been torn apart by some immense force.

The air was thick with the smell of black blood, charred flesh, and the metallic tang of overloaded psionic energy, so pungent it made one's throat tighten.

Chen Wuwang stood in the center of a pile of corpses. His right arm muscles twitched slightly, and fragments of armor hung from his shoulder, swaying gently with his breath.

He didn't look down at his injuries. Instead, he raised his left hand, and his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye flashed red as his vision was instantly covered by a stream of data—

Thirty-seven heat source signals were still approaching at undiminished speed, their directions scattered, launching a multi-point assault from underground.

"So many of you coming at once... is it because you're worried your deaths won't be orderly enough?" He chuckled low, his voice raspy but without a hint of fatigue.

He stepped on the corpse of a Yao Beast, its head split in two. Purple-gray mucus seeped from the crack, evaporating into mist in the high heat.

He didn't move, only sliding his Titanium Alloy Dagger back into the launch slot on his left shoulder with a locking click.

Immediately after, he pressed a button at his waist. The mecha core emitted a low hum, the Psionic Resonance Module activated, and residual energy flowed rapidly into the sword slot along Nano-Spirit Silks.

The moment the Laser Sword sprang out, the blade shimmered with interlaced silver and blue ripples, like electricity and frost clashing on the edge.

His hand gripping the sword was as steady as cast iron, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The first Yao Beast leaped from a fissure on the left. It was three meters tall, its body covered in rock-like skin as it lunged its sharp claws toward his neck.

Chen Wuwang didn't retreat; instead, he met it with a half-step forward. With a flick of his wrist, the sword light traced a semi-arc, precisely severing the nerve bundle connection at the side of the Yao Beast's neck.

The monster didn't even have time to shriek before its head fell askew and its body crashed to the ground.

A second one pounced from behind, its palms slamming the ground and sending shockwaves that sent rubble flying.

He tapped his toes, the short-burst thrusters activated, and he soared into the air, using the momentum to spin half a circle.

The Laser Sword swept out with the momentum, eight arcs of light slashing in succession to form a dense net of blades.

The spines of seven Yao Beasts that had just broken through the ground snapped simultaneously. They went limp on the spot, twitching a few times before falling still.

"Navigation-Assisted Slashing System, lock-on complete," a mechanical voice rang in his ear.

He landed as light as a feather, his footsteps steady.

The tip of the sword tapped the ground and flicked upward, launching a small Yao Beast attempting a sneak attack into the air.

The sword light flashed again, dismembering it in mid-air as black blood rained down.

Surviving clansmen in the distance hid behind rock piles; some clutched wounds, others supported companions, all staring breathlessly at that silver-white figure.

"The Family Head... all alone..." a young clansman murmured, his voice trembling.

"Shut up, don't disturb him," an elder nearby hissed, his eyes fixed on the battlefield. "Look at his sword path—it's not random hacking; every strike is calculated."

Indeed it was.

Every step Chen Wuwang took landed in the gaps between the Yao Beasts' attacks, and every strike predicted their pouncing trajectories in advance.

His Mechanical Prosthetic Eye scanned continuously, psionic code calculating the optimal path in real-time. His movements grew faster and faster, almost turning into an afterimage.

A Yao Beast leaped high into the air, opening its maw to spray a corrosive toxic mist.

Without even looking up, he used the short-burst thrusters again. In the moment of suspension, the Laser Sword stabbed repeatedly, simulating the 'Rainfall Style' slash.

Every strike of the sword tip hit a pupil or a throat core. Five Yao Beasts fell to the ground, their corpses lined up in a straight line as if measured by an invisible ruler.

*Chii—*

*Chii—*

*Chii—*

The sword light flashed repeatedly, crisp and clean, with no wasted motion.

Another batch of Yao Beasts surged from the right, attempting to surround him.

He suddenly withdrew his sword and spread his arms. The protective wings on the back of his mecha automatically deployed, forming a brief barrier.

The next instant, he lunged upward, charging straight into the densest part of the crowd. Upon landing, the sword light exploded, and a circular shockwave swept out, severing the limbs of over ten Yao Beasts as they rolled on the ground wailing.

He stood atop the highest pile of corpses, his breathing steady. A bead of sweat formed on his temple but was quickly evaporated by the hot wind.

As the red light of his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye scanned the field, the remaining Yao Beasts actually stopped in unison. They let out low whimpers, the murderous glint in their eyes fading, replaced by instinctive fear.

"Scared?" He sneered. His voice wasn't loud, yet it pierced through the battlefield. "Weren't you barking quite loudly just now?"

No one responded. Only the wind carrying ash swept across the scorched earth.

He slowly raised the Laser Sword, pointing the tip at the fissures in the ground. His tone was indifferent: "Crawling out one by one, aren't you tired? How about I help you—I'll dig you all out and settle this once and for all."

As his voice fell, he stepped forward with his right foot. The muscles of his entire arm tensed, and the silver-blue ripples on the sword blade suddenly surged.

"Kill!"

With a thunderous shout, he charged into the final group of Yao Beasts.

The sword light wove a dense net, crisscrossing as every strike claimed a life.

He no longer dodged, allowing sharp claws to scrape against his armor with a piercing screech; he no longer defended, purely using offense as defense, crushing the opponents' reaction limits with speed.

A Yao Beast pounced close, its fangs less than half a foot from his face.

He didn't even blink. He raised his left hand, and the Nano-Psionic Filament Suit instantly activated, its energy field expanding and knocking the Yao Beast flying.

Before it could land, he had already caught up, the sword light flashing as it pierced through its heart.

*Puchi!*

Black blood splattered on his face. He wiped it away casually and continued forward.

The last Yao Beast turned to flee.

He snorted coldly. The Laser Sword flew from his hand like an arrow from a bow, piercing through the back of its head and pinning it to the ground, the hilt still vibrating incessantly.

The entire field fell silent.

Only the sound of debris blowing in the wind remained.

He stood in the center of the corpses strewn everywhere, slowly exhaling. He raised his hand to recall the Laser Sword, which made a crisp click as it returned to its sheath.

Then, he spread his arms, and the protective wings slowly closed. Standing atop the pile of corpses, the red light of his Mechanical Prosthetic Eye swept over the remaining Yao Beasts.

Those monsters actually retreated in unison, not daring to advance further.

In the distance, someone was the first to shout—

"The Family Head is mighty!"

The voice wasn't loud and carried a tremor.

Then, a second voice rang out.

A third.

A fourth.

Soon, the shouts rose one after another. From behind rock piles, from the slopes, from hidden cave entrances, more and more clansmen stood up. Even if they were injured, even if their legs were weak, they all straightened their backs.

"The Family Head is mighty!"

"The Family Head is mighty!!"

"The Family Head is mighty!!!"

The shouts converged into a mountain-shaking roar that echoed over the scorched earth for a long time.

A youth with a tear-stained face roared as he raised a broken blade in his hand;

An elder leaned on a cane, trembling as he followed with a loud cry;

Even a few young people who were on the verge of collapse now had reddened eyes, their voices choked with emotion but firm.

Chen Wuwang didn't look back, nor did he respond.

He just stood there quietly, his gaze piercing through the rolling smoke and dust, looking toward the massive heat source deep underground that had yet to dissipate.

The fissures were still spreading; the vibrations had not stopped.

He knew this was not the end.

But he knew even better—

At this moment, he was their only light.

The wind swept across the battlefield, blowing his silver hair tied in a high ponytail. The three Zerg claw marks on his left cheek glinted darkly in the firelight.

A cold smile played at the corner of his mouth, and he whispered a low comment only he could hear:

"Think you can scare me? You're far from it."

The next second, he gripped his dagger, the mecha core hummed once more, and his Battle Intent remained unquenched.