Chapter 130: Ranging Across a Thousand Miles

Rambo was fighting as though his life depended on it. Of the ten, he was the weakest, and every time he had no choice but to give it everything he had. Whenever his strength was exhausted, he immediately took medicine to replenish it. As a result, he was not the last to fall behind. In the process, his speed grew faster and faster, while the power he had originally gained by swallowing pills gradually fused with him and became part of his own experience.

When Le Kai announced that the first stage was temporarily over, everyone collapsed from exhaustion, including the Gun God, a peak martial artist whose strength was on an entirely different level.

They had used every ounce of their strength without holding anything back. They had never experienced anything like it before. No one wanted to be struck by King Kong’s club. From what they had observed during this period, that fellow was simply insane. There was absolutely no way to predict how much force Le Kai had ordered him to use, and it would be all too easy for him to smash someone to death with a single blow.

Only after Le Kai gave the order were they granted two hours of rest. Never before had time seemed so precious. In those two hours, they not only had to hurry to eat something, but also sit cross-legged and cultivate in order to recover their energy. Every minute and every second was extraordinarily valuable.

While everyone else was doing their best to recover their strength, Rambo opened his wristwatch and began studying Berserk Warfare. Judging from the thoughtful expression on his face, he seemed to have gained some insight. Le Kai was secretly astonished.

Could it be? Was Rambo actually a genius? Had he really grasped something so quickly?

The moment the two hours were up, Le Kai gave another order. Everyone wore expressions of misery as they dragged their exhausted bodies into motion once more, running without caring whether it was day or night. It was even more terrifying than true hell.

This time, they ran for five full hours before stopping. Yet their rest period was only one hour. This forced everyone to accelerate the pace of their cultivation and seize every minute and second.

By the third round, everyone had completely collapsed.

By Le Kai’s reckoning, eighteen hours had already passed. Aside from the three hours of rest, they had been running wildly for fifteen hours straight. Such a feat would have been unimaginable in the past. The journey of more than a thousand kilometers had been unbearably grueling. If not for the pills Rambo had supplied along the way, some of them would have given up long ago.

But now the situation had finally become serious, because Rambo had run out of pills.

Without replenishment along the way, who could keep running for five hours at a stretch?

The Gun God, who had awakened his inner energy, appeared somewhat more relaxed. At least whenever King Kong drew near, he could circulate his energy and make his speed surge for a while. Although his inner energy could not withstand such massive consumption, he was still in a much better position than the others.

“I... I really can’t run anymore.”

The first person unable to endure was not Wu Meitian, but the Thin Bamboo Pole. His entire body was drenched, as though he had been pulled from the water, though the liquid was all sweat. At that moment, his slender body truly resembled a bamboo stalk on the verge of toppling. He had pushed beyond his limits several times already, but this time even he felt that he would not make it through.

Boom!

The instant he slowed down, King Kong came roaring up behind him and brought his club crashing down. Dust billowed everywhere, completely swallowing the Thin Bamboo Pole.

“Thin Bamboo Pole!”

The people fleeing ahead cried out despite themselves, feeling terror surge through their hearts like a rising tide.

Yet no one stopped.

With a piercing roar, King Kong leaped into the air again. This time, his target was Rambo.

Hearing the heavy footsteps and breathing behind him, Rambo, whose body was equally drenched in sweat, did not scream in terror. Instead, his face flushed crimson and his eyes widened, as though he were furious beyond words. But with his strength exhausted, anger alone could not help him. His steps grew slower and slower, while behind him, King Kong came crashing down like a meteor from beyond the heavens.

“Ah!”

Rambo suddenly let out a thunderous shout. His body, which had been slowing down, abruptly accelerated like a shuttle shooting forward. With a whoosh, he flew dozens of meters ahead. Behind him, King Kong’s club slammed into the ground with a series of thunderous crashes, sending fragments of stone flying in every direction.

“How is that possible? He grasped the footwork in such a short time?”

Le Kai sprang to his feet, utterly astonished.

As a matter of fact, within Berserk Warfare, Le Kai had incorporated a simplified version of his own One-Step Return Footwork. Although it was nowhere near as astonishing as the genuine technique, mastering it still produced unexpected effects. However, comprehending such footwork was by no means something that could be achieved in a short time. According to Le Kai’s expectations, if the team members managed to grasp even a little of its surface by the end of the entire training session, that would already be remarkable.

Yet Rambo had executed the footwork after only a few hours. Such speed could no longer be described merely as monstrous.

Compared with Le Kai himself, who had practiced day and night for several days, stumbling and struggling before barely touching the edge of the technique, Rambo was nothing short of an unparalleled genius.

Le Kai rubbed his nose sheepishly as he watched Rambo streak past Wu Meitian, Wu Nitian, and the Gun God, shooting into first place. He was rendered speechless.

Witnessing Rambo’s transformation, which seemed almost like a cheat, the others were equally shocked. In an instant, it was as though they had all been provoked. Their speeds increased sharply, and several of them broke through their current limits, becoming vastly faster than before.

“What did I tell you? Human potential is limitless! The only reason people fail to unleash their potential is that they are not pressured enough. Look at Rambo—isn’t he the best example?”

Le Kai spoke smugly as he watched the astonishment on Li Yan’s face.

Li Yan, however, wore an expression of worry. Clearly, she was concerned about the Thin Bamboo Pole.

Le Kai pointed toward King Kong’s enormous hand. “Don’t worry. The Thin Bamboo Pole is fine. Do you really think I’m so cold-blooded that I would hurt them?”

Li Yan took a closer look and saw that Le Kai was right. The Thin Bamboo Pole was being supported in one of King Kong’s hands, looking as though he had simply fallen asleep. A smile immediately spread across her face, and she said excitedly, “Le Kai, I knew you were a kindhearted person. You’ve gone to such lengths to help them break through!”

Le Kai smiled somewhat sheepishly. “I have no other flaws. I’m simply too kind and too considerate of others.”

“Kindness is not a flaw,” Li Yan said. “It is a rare virtue. People today are restless and impatient, striving only for fame and profit. In order to obtain whatever they desire, they do not hesitate to hurt others. Being able to preserve one’s kind nature is what is truly rare.”

Le Kai grinned. “Since I’m so kind, is there any reward? If there’s no reward, I might lose my motivation. Who knows? Perhaps I won’t be kind next time.”

“What reward do you want?” Li Yan asked. “Anything I can give you, I’ll agree to.”

Le Kai was delighted. “You mean it?”

Li Yan smiled. “Of course. Tell me, what reward do you want?”

Le Kai smiled mischievously. “I’ve grown this old and have never been kissed before. How about you give me a kiss?”

He had assumed Li Yan would refuse, or perhaps even slap him. Instead, she answered with perfect composure, “All right. Just one kiss.”

With that, she puckered her adorable lips and quickly kissed Le Kai on the cheek.

Le Kai felt a warm sensation spread across his cheek, accompanied by an indescribably strange feeling. He was secretly puzzled. Hadn’t the novels his father left behind said that a woman’s kiss was worth a fortune, that a single kiss could leave a man refreshed and floating like an immortal? Why did he feel nothing at all?

Could it be that she had kissed the wrong place?

He touched his cheek and looked at Li Yan, whose face had turned bright red. “It seems I don’t feel anything. How about you kiss this side too?”

Looking into Le Kai’s innocent, guileless eyes, Li Yan could not bring herself to be angry. In a small voice, she said, “All right. I’ll give you one more, but only one. Don’t try to take advantage of me again.”

Le Kai’s face lit up with excitement as he eagerly turned his cheek toward her. Like a woodpecker, Li Yan pecked him quickly, then pulled back. Even her neck had turned red.

“Is that enough now? I’ve marked both sides. After being kissed by me, you’re not allowed to let anyone else kiss you so casually.”

Although Le Kai felt nothing particularly special, his heart was sweet and his entire being relaxed. He enjoyed this warm, tender moment immensely. If his mother were still alive, she would surely indulge him and care for him in the same way.

The two of them were enjoying themselves, while the ten people on the other side were suffering miserably. They were complete extremes.

At long last, Le Kai called for them to stop. Everyone collapsed to the ground in total exhaustion, but immediately sat cross-legged again, not daring to waste a single moment. Who knew whether the rest period would be shortened again this time?

During the chase just now, nearly everyone had broken through their limits several times. Now was the perfect time to consolidate the results. Although there would be no obvious improvement in such a short period, their physical potential had already been awakened, bringing them countless benefits.

Rambo, who had progressed the fastest, did not keep anything to himself. He revealed the secret of the footwork hidden within Berserk Warfare, allowing everyone to glimpse hope. One by one, they seized the time to study it. With Rambo as an example, their enthusiasm for learning soared to unprecedented heights. Under the pressure of their limits, both their memory and their ability to comprehend were clearly far greater than usual.

Seeing this, Wu Meitian could not help casting Rambo an approving glance. Although she still had not completely accepted him emotionally, there was no denying that Rambo’s position in her heart had grown increasingly important. Especially after realizing that she was destined to remain entangled with him for the rest of her life, her heart gradually began to open.

Le Kai’s voice came through the wristwatches.

“Everyone, are you enjoying this journey? Even more difficult tasks await you next. However, as long as you can comprehend the ultimate technique of Berserk Warfare, your chances of completing the mission will increase. Good luck.”

No one had the strength or energy to answer him. They only wanted to master the footwork as quickly as possible so they could get through the journey ahead safely.

The tragic state of the Thin Bamboo Pole still lingered in everyone’s minds. King Kong had fed him a pill, and everyone naturally assumed it was a Resurrection Pill.

In reality, it was merely a Body-Strengthening Pill that restored physical strength.

“Fairy, have you finished collecting their data?”

“Yes. The collection is complete. Based on each person’s performance, I’ve calculated the appropriate data, including strength, endurance, and perseverance. Every exercise remains within the limits they can withstand, so there won’t be any accidents. Leave everything to me!”

Fairy sounded extremely confident. Analyzing data and formulating corresponding strategies was child’s play for her. Even if she were dealing with an army of one hundred thousand soldiers, she could still analyze each person’s data in detail.