Chapter 151: Could It Actually Be a Supernatural Ability?

Song Qing'an glanced at Shen Shi, who no longer had the strength to stand on the platform, and curled his lips slightly. "Since you lack the ability to protect Qin Sheng, you will naturally be of no use to me in the future."

Although Song Qing'an spoke these words softly to himself, he had employed his supernatural abilities. Others could not hear him, but Shen Shi, lying on the ground, heard every word clearly.

"No..." Shen Shi recognized Song Qing'an's voice and struggled to pull himself back up from the ground.

He could not let what happened in that room that day repeat itself. No matter what, he had promised to protect Qin Sheng, and he would certainly not give up so easily.

When Chen Er saw Shen Shi rise again, his expression showed a hint of surprise, though it was still dominated by disdain.

"You're quite tenacious. If that's the case, I'll beat you until you submit!" Chen Er prepared to launch another attack, a flicker of murderous intent in his eyes.

Shen Shi clenched his fists tightly, using his arms to desperately block Chen Er’s first strike.

Chen Er quickly launched a second attack. Shen Shi blocked most of it with his arms, but his limbs were no longer feeling pain—only numbness. He could no longer feel his arms; he only knew that when he couldn't dodge, he had to use them to absorb the force of the brutal strikes.

After a few exchanges, Chen Er grew impatient. Leaping to the side, he drew his weapon. Like Qin Sheng’s, it was a blade. Although firearms were the most common weapons since the apocalypse began, the safe zone strictly prohibited their casual use, so Chen Er had asked Guo Jun to find him a knife.

Now, it finally had a use.

In an instant, Chen Er, who already held the advantage, was now armed, while Shen Shi stood empty-handed. The disparity between them became even more glaring.

"Chen Er is actually using a weapon? Isn't Shen Shi at an even greater disadvantage now?"

"This isn't quite right. Shen Shi already looks to be in bad shape. With Chen Er using a weapon, isn't this a death sentence for him?"

Many in the audience were displeased by Chen Er’s underhanded move, but fearing his status, they dared not intervene loudly, limiting themselves to whispered discussions.

"Chen Er, aren't you being too shameless? Why bring out a knife halfway through the fight?" Lin Xing, a hot-blooded youth, couldn't stand it any longer and stood up to protest loudly.

Chen Er did not seem to realize his own lack of integrity, saying naturally, "The death ring has no rules against using weapons. If Shen Shi has nothing to wield, he shouldn't blame the knife in my hand."

"Truly shameless! If Shen Shi hadn't been compromised, he would have knocked you off this platform long ago!" Another passionate youth, A-Zhi, could no longer stomach Chen Er’s behavior and stood up to shout.

"Hmph, what's the point of talking? Isn't Shen Shi still unable to even stand on the platform?" Chen Er said, pressing his blade against Shen Shi’s neck.

As Chen Er moved slightly, a bloody gash appeared on Shen Shi’s fair throat.

Shen Shi frowned. In his current state, he wouldn't have had a chance even without the knife; now that Chen Er was armed, the man was clearly out for his life.

He didn't need to guess who was behind this.

"Whatever happens to me today, you will face the exact same fate..." Shen Shi sneered, gritting his teeth as he spoke to Chen Er.

"He can kill his own godson without a second thought. Do you really think you'll be safe just because you're his subordinate?" Shen Shi continued, smiling coldly at the man holding a blade to his throat.

"At death's door and still running your mouth? Captain Guo is not someone you can slander!"

Shen Shi did not reply further; the coldness on his face said everything. Following a suspicious man like Guo Jun, one would never know how they might die.

"It doesn't matter. My parents were killed by him. One more life lost is nothing to me."

Upon hearing this, Chen Er’s expression changed drastically.

"What did you say?"

"My father was Guo Jun’s captain before he died. He never imagined that the comrade he fought alongside would kill him with his own hands, all for the sake of so-called power!"

Chen Er frowned. He had indeed never heard these things from Guo Jun; he only knew that Guo Jun had adopted Shen Shi, yet Shen Shi had been ungrateful and followed a newcomer captain, Qin Sheng.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe it or not, that's up to you."

Seeing Chen Er momentarily stunned, Shen Shi seized the opportunity to dodge from under the blade and put some distance between them. His earlier words were merely a stalling tactic; he had no strength to fight back, and with Chen Er’s blade at his throat, fighting head-on would have been foolish.

"Shen Shi, catch!"

Almost the moment he created distance, he heard Qin Sheng’s voice from below.

A Tang sword flew toward him. It wasn't moving very fast, and Shen Shi reached out and caught it.

"I'm lending you my Tang sword. Win, and you can give it back," Qin Sheng shouted to him.

Even though Shen Shi didn't know how much of a chance he had, the fact that Qin Sheng had lent him her own weapon and that his teammates stood firmly by his side gave him the resolve to fight. Even if he were to die, he would win this match.

"How ridiculous!" Seeing Qin Sheng hand her sword to a wretch who might not even be able to lift it, Chen Er found it laughable. He raised his own blade and charged at Shen Shi.

Shen Shi didn't hesitate; he swung Qin Sheng’s Tang sword to meet the attack.

The two blades collided with a violent clang, sending a numbing vibration through both their hands.

Chen Er was surprised. Theoretically, Shen Shi shouldn't have been able to block that strike, but he had managed to hold his ground because of Qin Sheng’s Tang sword.

Shen Shi, too, was surprised by the power of the blade, feeling a sliver of comfort.

Chen Er reacted quickly, leaping forward and thrusting his blade toward Shen Shi’s chest. Shen Shi exerted all his strength to raise the Tang sword and parry. After several exchanges, the wounded Shen Shi clearly began to lose ground. Chen Er was more adept with his weapon, and in the final strike, Shen Shi failed to block it. The blade slashed his arm, and blood immediately gushed from the wound, staining his white clothes red.

Shen Shi gasped. Being struck by fists and kicks only caused internal injuries, but this sharp blade caused unbearable pain.

Even so, Shen Shi did not let go of the Tang sword; he gripped it even tighter. Even if he fell, he would not let the sword hit the ground.

Chen Er no longer toyed with him. Every subsequent attack landed solidly. After a few more exchanges, Shen Shi’s clothes were no longer recognizable as the white garments he had started in; they were completely soaked in red.

Shen Shi no longer had the strength to lift the sword to parry, and finally, he collapsed. He clutched the Tang sword to his chest, refusing to let it touch the dust.

There was truly no hope left...

Shen Shi slowly closed his eyes, accepting his fate. He could vaguely see a hazy figure below; he reached out to touch and grasp, but it was in vain.

"Die!"

With Shen Shi unable to resist, Chen Er seized the moment, raised his blade, and slashed down toward him.

Shen Shi knew he was powerless to fight back. Despite his deep resentment, he accepted his fate.

Just as Chen Er’s blade was about to strike, a flash of white light erupted. Chen Er’s sword was repelled as if struck by an invisible force, the impact vibrating so hard that it numbed his hand and sent the weapon clattering to the ground.

Chen Er stared in disbelief, his eyes wide as he looked at Shen Shi. The flash of white light seemed like a hallucination, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

"This is?" Qin Sheng had not missed the fleeting light.

A supernatural ability? Had Shen Shi awakened a power?

"It's over." Song Qing'an spoke as if he had known the outcome all along, shaking his head with a smile.

The light was but a momentary flicker; only those who had awakened abilities would recognize it as the beginning of such power. Thus, it caused little stir among the crowd. They only saw that Chen Er had failed in his attempt to strike Shen Shi.

Shen Shi felt a sudden warmth wash over him. It was comfortable—so comfortable that the pain in his body seemed to vanish...

He slowly opened his eyes and attempted to lift his arm to grasp the Tang sword. To his surprise, his arm no longer hurt.

Shen Shi was astonished. He stood up and realized that his pain, including the tightness in his chest, had seemingly disappeared. It was incredible. He placed a hand over his heart; its rhythmic, fiery beat seemed to tell him that a new light was dawning.

"Die, damn you!"

Before Shen Shi could recover from his surprise, Chen Er picked up his knife and lunged at him again.

Without thinking, Shen Shi swung the Tang sword. The two blades collided, and in an instant, the knife in Chen Er’s hand was sliced in two.

Shen Shi was even more surprised. Could this be the power of the Tang sword?

Qin Sheng knew it wasn't the sword’s doing. It was Shen Shi’s ability. However, Qin Sheng couldn't quite define it—her own was strength-based, Chu Xingyu’s was transformation, Jiang Miaomiao’s was healing, and Lin Xing’s also seemed to be strength-based. She could not discern what Shen Shi’s ability was.

While Qin Sheng was stunned, Shen Shi seized the opportunity to knock Chen Er off the platform.

Within minutes, the roles had reversed. Chen Er was now the one being overwhelmed. Shen Shi showed no mercy, and within moments, Chen Er was also injured, his clothes stained with blood.

Still, Chen Er was unwilling to accept defeat. He grabbed his broken knife and tried to stab Shen Shi in the back when he wasn't looking.

Shen Shi raised an eyebrow, turned slightly, and blocked the attack.

"Now it's your turn."