Chapter 139: Breakthroughs Everywhere

Lan Bo no longer had the time to harbor resentment toward his leader’s cruelty; his heart was already consumed by fury. He cared little for his own injuries, unable to bear the sight of Wu Meitian’s wretched state, which pained him deeply. At this moment, as if sensing Lan Bo’s devotion, Wu Meitian did not react with indignant shame or shy avoidance. Instead, she grabbed Lan Bo’s hand, and they stood up together. As their eyes met, they both saw a flicker of determination and love.

A tremor passed through them as they realized what had transpired. Sharing a glance, they were overcome with a surge of wild joy. Still hand in hand, they leaped into the air, striking out with their palms toward the mutant rhinoceros, which had just landed and was preparing for a second charge. Their palms appeared soft, lacking any fierce whistling wind or oppressive force; they seemed almost weightless, and the mutant rhinoceros felt no threat at all.

However, the moment their palms made contact with its long horn, a strange phenomenon occurred. The seemingly soft palms suddenly hardened, transforming into iron fists as heavy as Mount Tai. Lan Bo’s left palm and Wu Meitian’s right palm struck the massive horn almost simultaneously.

The horn was the hardest part of the mutant rhinoceros’s anatomy, typically used for attacks alongside trampling and ramming.

As the couple exerted sudden force, a faint pink current flashed like a bursting firework, sinking entirely into the horn. A second later, the rhinoceros let out an enraged roar as its massive horn, harder than alloy, snapped clean in two.

As if sharing a single mind, the two continued to hold hands, flipping in mid-air, switching positions, and striking again at the rhinoceros's head.

Strictly speaking, the mutant rhinoceros did not possess great combat prowess; it relied solely on brute force and speed. Apart from ramming and trampling, its offensive options were limited, unlike other mutant beasts that were living weapons. Yet, when attacking in a pack, their power was terrifying, and even those stronger than them dared not face them head-on.

Now, with its greatest weapon shattered by Lan Bo and Wu Meitian, the rhinoceros suffered a blow that, while not immediately fatal, critically undermined its combat capability. The subsequent strike left it reeling; the pink energy exploded again, causing the massive beast to shudder. It snorted, puffing out meter-long white jets of steam from its nostrils, its head shaking repeatedly as it tried to clear the dizziness.

Lan Bo and Wu Meitian landed to the side, faces pale, and with a sense of mutual intuition, they produced medicinal pills and fed them to each other. The intimacy and tacit understanding, reminiscent of lovers in the heat of passion, left Le Kai on the mountaintop stunned, speechless for a long time.

Down below, the two seemed oblivious to everything else; they leaped up again, charging toward another rhinoceros, taking the initiative to attack.

"Damn, Lan Bo is a genius. I’m impressed. I thought they would need to waste several 'Resurrection Pills' to break through, but to be this arrogant right from the start—what will happen in the future?" Le Kai couldn't help but exclaim.

Xian Xian giggled, "Little brother, don't be jealous. Your aptitude is far better than his. While he is gifted, his potential is limited; his eventual achievements will definitely not surpass yours."

Le Kai’s eyes rolled, his mischievous spirit returning. He clapped his hands and said, "Sister is right. Their breakthrough is all thanks to my pills. It proves that I am the best."

"In your sister's heart, you are always the best," Xian Xian said, soothing him as if he were a child.

***

After activating the 'Mad Battle' technique, the Gun God’s martial superiority became apparent. His strength doubled, putting him a notch above the mutant rhinoceros. He lunged forward, slamming a heavy fist into the beast’s head. The rhinoceros let out a low roar and its five-meter-long body stumbled back several steps, only to shake its head and charge violently again.

The Gun God laughed aloud, his footwork shifting. Though not a master of movement, he had grasped the essence of the technique, and his speed surged. He arrived at the rhinoceros's flank and flipped onto its back. Even in its most docile state, a rhinoceros loathes being mounted, let alone in its mutated form. This act ignited its savagery; it roared in fury, its hooves drumming against the earth like war drums, bucking wildly and kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured everything.

Yet, the Gun God remained as steady as if he had taken root. He swung his fists, a shroud of vapor-like energy wrapping around them, striking the rhinoceros’s head blow after blow.

The rhinoceros let out angry, wheezing grunts and galloped away, leaving Le Kai on the mountaintop to swallow hard, wondering why none of these team members seemed like normal human beings.

The most significant change was in Wu Nitian. At the moment he was struck and heavily injured by a rhinoceros, a flash of insight crossed his face. The thin membrane in his heart finally tore. In an instant, he swallowed a pill, and his entire aura shifted, as if the pill hadn't just healed him but directly elevated his power. A low, muffled roar erupted from him, and his bones cracked and popped like bursting firecrackers. His body twisted with a rhythmic, boneless grace.

"After experiencing life and death several times, he finally broke through. Wu Nitian’s breakthrough is the most logical. With years of accumulated power and these past months of shamelessly gorging on my pills, his potential is terrifying once unleashed! He has 5,000 Ankes of strength—damn, that’s too strong." Under Le Kai’s psychic reach, everyone and every beast was within his perception. Wu Nitian’s transformation forced an expletive from his lips.

Upon breaking through, he had bypassed the 'Initiate' stage and reached the 'Expert' realm. 5,000 Ankes of strength meant he was only one level behind Le Kai. Such a rapid surge in power was extremely rare.

Wu Nitian leaped up, filled with surprise and disbelief. He stood there, testing his own strength, his joyful laughter sounding almost manic.

The next moment, his smile vanished. The rhinoceros’s charge had not stopped; it thundered toward him again. By the time he reacted, the massive, foul-smelling head of the beast was nearly upon him. A few seconds ago, he would have had no choice but to be sent flying again, but now, despite the urgency, he made an astonishing recovery. He initiated his footwork, retreated instantly, and channeled his internal energy. The 'Mad Battle' technique flared, and powerful energy surged from his Dantian like two tornadoes, whistling as it erupted from his arms.

With a deafening boom, man and beast were sent flying in opposite directions. Wu Nitian’s retreat was a strategic maneuver, fully under control, while the mutant rhinoceros was staggered by the powerful energy, nearly losing its footing, which only fueled its rage.

Wu Nitian tapped his toes on the ground, his form shooting forward like a sharp sword. His fist was enveloped in explosive energy, causing the surrounding air to crackle.

It seemed that the two sides were evenly matched, and a victor would not be decided anytime soon.

In this group, four people had achieved a breakthrough under immense pressure. This result secretly shocked even Le Kai. His most optimistic estimate had been that one person might make progress in a single day, but to have four achieve such impressive results—the speed of their improvement seemed to far exceed his own back in the day.

The power of the medicinal pills was truly not to be underestimated!

***

The remaining six members of the Blue Shark Squad, including the tall, thin man and the man in glasses, were not so lucky. They were nearly wiped out by a violent charge from the rhinoceros. However, it was they who validated the efficacy of Le Kai’s upgraded 'Resurrection Pill.' Just as he had boasted, a single pill was like a miracle tonic; not only were their injuries gone, but they felt filled with strength, as if their power had surged significantly.

Surprised and delighted, they gritted their teeth and dove back into the fray, tangling with the rhinoceroses.

In an instant, all ten had found their opponents and fighting styles, beginning a grueling and long-drawn-out battle.

Le Kai watched the group below with envy. If he had had these conditions back then, things would have been different! These guys were truly lucky.

"Little brother, the Xi family is coming. How do you want to handle them?"

"Clearly, they were attracted by the fighting here. It’s time to deal with them. Although the Xi family’s shuttle isn't top-tier, this modified version is far beyond any civilian craft. The thermal weapons on board remain a threat to us."

With Xian Xian’s help, Le Kai had a perfect grasp of the situation dozens of kilometers away. After losing all communications, the shuttle had been hiding in a small valley, afraid to move. In such harsh weather, without radar guidance, they dared not proceed, lest they crash into a mountain and die in vain.

However, the intense energy fluctuations and the commotion of the battlefield had finally caught the attention of the Xi family’s experts.

Leading the team was a one-star expert named Xi Shan. His strength was beyond the 'Initiate' stage, possessing 15,000 Ankes of power, and he specialized in reconnaissance—or rather, his psychic ability was quite prominent, granting him a wide range of perception. His three subordinates were all 'Expert' level martial artists, each with about 5,000 Ankes of strength.

Such a team was arguably the strongest lineup the Xi family could currently field; anything more would likely disturb certain higher powers.

Without radar connectivity, the shuttle was like a blind hound in the fog-drenched wilderness, forced to hide in a corner, unable to strike.