Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 563 Attack, Counterattack

The tip of the gun was turned slightly.

The water vapor that was originally floating haphazardly in the furnace chamber actually gathered along the spearhead on its own.

It was not a matter of forcibly pulling.

It seems more like it was influenced by some kind of imagery.

A wisp of bluish-white lightning flashed through the depths of the mist, disappearing in an instant.

Swain's gaze suddenly froze.

Bruno and Gna had not yet noticed the difference, only feeling that Siren's shot was more natural than before.

However, in Swain's eyes, the aura of the water mines surrounding Xiren clearly showed a momentary active response.

Although extremely faint.

It couldn't even be considered a true rudimentary form of authority.

But it has already captured a bit of the essence.

Stop.

Swain suddenly spoke.

Xilun lowered his gun, and the steam dissipated.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

"Thinking about what the teacher said about the inner and outer worlds, I also recalled a powerful person I once met."

Siren answered truthfully, "When she uses her power, it's not like she's controlling the thunder; it's more like the thunder is an integral part of her."

Swain remained silent for a moment.

"Remember this feeling, but don't force it."

"The conception can be comprehended, but the rules cannot be fabricated out of thin air. Your body is not yet fully developed, and attempting to build an inner world too early will cause your energy to become uncontrollable."

"Yes."

In the following days, Xilun familiarized himself with the new gun while continuing to participate in caravan escorts.

The second time, the caravan traveled by land, heading towards Yinshui Town along the north bank of the Baishi River. Along the way, they only encountered one second-tier water beast, which was easily killed by the accompanying guards.

On their third voyage by water, the fleet discovered that someone was spying on them from the shore.

Xilun followed the trail for three miles, but only found discarded food and a copper coin commonly found on the open sea.

The fourth time, nothing happened.

For each escort mission, Xilun receives a reward of over 100 pounds.

The three trading companies trusted him more and more, and even began to entrust him with arranging the formation of their most important cargo ships.

However, unfamiliar traces are gradually increasing on both sides of the river.

Someone deliberately cleaned up the footprints.

Someone left a hidden thatched hut on a high place to observe the fleet.

Siren warned Bourne to be on high alert, but they still couldn't catch any real pirates.

Until evening seven days later.

Just as Xilun finished practicing his shooting in the cave, a clerk from the White Whale Trading Company rode up the mountain path.

The man was covered in blood, with a hastily wrapped strip of cloth around his left shoulder. When he rolled off the horse, his face was as pale as paper.

"Mr. Sir Lun!"

"Something's happened!"

"The cargo caravan returning from Yinsui Town was hijacked; all the goods were gone, and most of the guards were also kidnapped!"

Xilun gripped the Thunder Spear.

The man, panting heavily, added with difficulty, "It was the beastmaster Croves, with an eight-hundred-pound bounty, who made the move."

"Some people have seen that he can command sea creatures."

As night fell over the mountains and forests, Siron left the monastery.

The White Whale Trading Company prepared to gather more guards, but he refused.

There were many people and a lot of noise.

Since the beast tamer Crove dared to rob three merchants of their goods near Star Ring Island, he must have already prepared an escape route.

It takes time for a large force to assemble, and if the news leaks out, the enemy may kill the prisoners and evacuate by water with valuables.

Siren only allowed the surviving men to point out the location of the attack and took away a map of the surrounding terrain.

The hijacked caravan was a merchant convoy returning by land.

They were attacked in Blackwood Valley, six yards from White Rock River. Initially, two water beasts overturned the wagon, followed by dozens of pirates emerging from the forest.

The guards put up a hasty resistance and were quickly scattered.

The man jumped into the stinking ditch and pretended to be dead, barely escaping disaster.

When Siron arrived at Blackwood Valley, it was nearly midnight.

The moonlight was obscured by clouds, and the valley was pitch black.

Several trucks lay overturned on the side of the road, their wheels and wooden planks covered with marks from being hacked with knives and axes.

Broken medicine bottles, blood-stained rags, and torches that were not yet completely extinguished were scattered on the ground.

Xilun crouched down, pressing his fingers into the mud.

The power of the "Overturning the Sea" technique spreads along with the water vapor.

The jumbled footprints gradually became clearer in my mind.

At least sixty people.

Most of them wore hard-soled boots commonly seen at sea, and their walking habits differed from those of the inland guards.

There were three more footprints that were noticeably deeper, each with a distinct pattern of force applied during each step, suggesting they were all from extraordinary individuals at the third tier.

The two force controls are still unstable.

The soil around the footprints was slightly cracked, indicating that he had recently been promoted.

The last person, however, walked with a very steady gait.

The fact that the distance between each step was almost exactly the same indicates that the opponent was not only physically strong, but also had a wealth of combat experience.

The beast tamer Crovet, with an 800-pound bounty, is most likely this person.

Xilun followed the trail out of the valley.

The pirates did not make any effort to conceal their route.

They looted a large amount of goods and prisoners, were unable to completely clear the ruts, and clearly did not believe that anyone would dare to pursue them alone into the mountains.

Half an hour later, Xilun found the abandoned wooden crates of the merchant house beside a stream.

The wooden box had been pried open, and only a few pieces of dried grass covered in medicinal powder remained inside.

Two guards' corpses floated in the stream, their hands and feet bound with ropes, and there were blunt force trauma marks on the back of their heads.

They did not die in battle.

He was unable to walk after being injured and was killed by the pirates.

Siren dragged the body ashore and simply covered it with leaves.

His expression remained unchanged, but his eyes turned colder.

After crossing the stream, the terrain gradually rises ahead.

A long-abandoned quarry village appeared halfway up the mountain. The towering wooden walls were built against the mountain, with only a large iron gate at the front, and the arrow towers on both sides were lit up with fire.

There is a deep pool right behind the village.

The water flows through a crack in the mountain and connects to the White Stone River, large enough for small boats to pass through.

Xilun lay prone among the distant tree canopy, observing carefully.

There are at least forty pirates still at rest inside the stronghold.

Several hijacked trucks were parked in the open space, and pirates were carrying barrels of wine, medicinal herbs, and lightning-struck wood into the warehouse.

The main hall was brightly lit, and the sounds of boisterous laughter could be faintly heard.

The area towards Houzhai was exceptionally quiet.

There was a stone prison half-submerged in the water, with thick iron chains extending from underwater and wrapped around several rock pillars.

Occasionally, suppressed roars would emanate from the depths of the stone cell, the sounds muffled and familiar due to the mountain walls.

The Thunder Spirit within Xilun stirred slightly.

A sea monster with a thunderous nature.

It seems the rumors that the beast tamer Krov could control sea creatures were not unfounded.

Siren did not immediately approach the water prison.

He fell silently from the tree and circled around to the west side of the village.

This place is right next to a steep cliff, and there are only two pirate guards.

The two sat by the fire, drinking, with their muskets within easy reach, their conversation carried on the night breeze.

"This is really great! Several cartloads of medicinal herbs, enough to feed the village for half a year."

"What's that? The most valuable thing is those few survivors; the White Whale Trading Company will definitely be willing to pay to ransom them."

"And that girl too."

One of them let out a lewd laugh.

"When the second chieftain saw her, his eyes widened. He heard she was the niece of the manager of some pharmacy, with delicate skin and fair flesh. He was probably in for some trouble tonight."

0

The other person took a swig of wine.

"The chieftain said that they can't be killed before the ransom is received. No matter how anxious the second chieftain is, he has to be careful."

They both chuckled softly at the same time.

Xiren stood in the shadows, his gaze fixed on the wooden wall behind them.

The next moment, a gentle breeze rustled.

The pirate on the left felt a chill run down his spine.

Just as he was about to turn around, a hand covered his mouth, its five fingers gripping his jaw, and twisted sharply.

Click!

Neck fracture.

Another pirate stared in horror, his hand quickly reaching for the musket.

Xilun kicked a pebble off the ground with his toe.

A pebble was driven into the other person's throat.

The pirate froze, clutching his neck tightly with both hands, but could only let out a faint hissing sound.

Xilun stepped closer and struck him on the temple with a palm strike, completely silencing the last tremor.

The two bodies were dragged into the bushes.

Xilun used a gap in the wooden wall to climb into the village.

His large, sinewy muscles made his body more agile, and he landed without making a sound.

He moved along the shadows of the warehouse, dodging two patrolling pirate groups, and took down three lone guards in succession.

No guns were used.

There was no obvious bloodstain left.

The laughter in the main hall grew clearer and clearer.

Siren pressed himself against the side window, peering through the gaps in the wooden planks.

There were seven or eight long tables in the hall, where more than twenty pirates were drinking and chatting.

The table was piled high with barbecue and bottles of liquor, and torn packaging was scattered on the floor.

Three people were sitting at the deepest part of the hall.

The man on the left had a dark complexion and dark red marks on his neck from recent skin shedding. He exuded strength, clearly indicating that he had recently advanced to the third rank.

On the right is a short, stocky, bald man with two curved knives hanging from his waist and large knuckles on his hands.

The man in the middle was wearing a gray-blue animal skin coat, with a thin face and an eerie pale yellow left eye.

A black harpoon covered in barbs leaned against the table, with several thin chains wrapped around its end.

Beastmaster Krov.

"This shipment will be worth at least two thousand pounds."

The dark-skinned man raised his glass, his face beaming with excitement.

"Once things calm down, we'll rob two more times. Those merchants will just send money over; they won't dare chase us into the village."

The bald man laughed heartily.

"Big Brother is truly capable! Although that thing in the water dungeon is difficult to raise, once it's released, every fleet will be thrown into chaos."

Krov slowly took a sip of his drink.

Don't be so smug.

"The Holy Light Monastery is nearby. The White Whale Trading Company suffered a loss and will likely ask an inner disciple for help."

"What's there to be afraid of?" the dark-skinned man said dismissively. "There are three of us at the third level, and so many brothers. If one or two young disciples come, we can just keep them here to pay the ransom."

"Have you forgotten how many pirates died in the Black Abyss Forest?"

A cold glint flashed in Krof's pale yellow left eye.

The hall quieted down a little.

Just then, the side door opened.

Two pirates pushed in a young girl whose hands were tied.

The girl was about seventeen or eighteen years old, wearing the light green uniform of Yinsui Pharmacy, her hair was disheveled, and her face was covered with tear stains.

She had clearly struggled for a long time, and her wrists were bleeding from being rubbed raw by the ropes.

"Second Chieftain, the person has been brought."

The bald man's eyes lit up immediately.

He got up, walked over, and reached out to pinch the girl's chin.

The girl retreated in fear, but was pushed back by the pirate behind her and stumbled.

"Let me go! My aunt will give me money, she definitely will—"

"Of course I want the money."

The bald man grinned. "But I can't let you eat and drink for free until the money arrives."

A burst of laughter immediately filled the hall.

The girl's face was deathly pale, and tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

Krov frowned.

"Don't cause any injuries. The people from Silver Harvest Pharmacy want to keep the prisoners alive."

"Don't worry, brother, I know what I'm doing."

The bald man reached out and hoisted the girl onto his shoulder, then headed straight for the room next door.

The dark-skinned man held a glass of wine and joked.

"Take it easy, second brother! This can fetch a good price, don't hurt it."

The bald man turned around and cursed, which made everyone laugh again.

The door closed.

Xilun stepped back from the window.

He was originally waiting for the three third-tier players to separate.

Now is the chance.

He moved silently along the eaves and came to the back window of the side room.

The windows were locked with wooden bolts, but they had fallen into disrepair over the years, and gaps had appeared along the edges.

Xilun's fingertips gathered a chilling aura.

The cork quickly becomes brittle.

It breaks silently with a gentle press.

Inside the room, the bald man had just thrown the girl onto the bed and was now unbuckling his belt.

"Don't come any closer!"

The girl huddled in the corner of the bed and kicked her legs frantically.

"Go ahead and call out."

The bald man grinned maliciously as he grabbed her ankle. "Even if you scream your lungs out here, no one will be able to—"

A cold glint flashed past his neck.

The bald man's words came to an abrupt end.

His eyes widened suddenly, and his hands instinctively covered his neck.

Fresh blood gushed out from between his fingers.

Xilun appeared from behind him, his left hand clasped behind his head, and his right hand holding a short knife he had taken from the guard.

The blade was inserted again.

Precisely piercing the neck bone.

The bald man twitched twice and collapsed heavily to the ground.

The girl watched this scene in horror, and was about to scream when Xilun raised a finger to his lips.

"Don't make a sound."

His voice was low, yet unusually calm.

"I am a guard hired by the White Whale Trading Company."

The girl paused, then tears welled up again.

Xilen cut the ropes on her wrists.

"Hide under the bed. No matter what noises are happening outside, don't come out."

"The others—"

"I will save those who are still alive."

The girl nodded vigorously and crawled under the bed using both her hands and feet.

Just as Xilun straightened up, footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

"Second brother, eldest brother asked me to ask—"

The door was pushed open a crack.

The pirate's expression froze when he saw the corpse on the ground.

The short sword flew out of Xilun's hand.

puff!

The blade pierced the pirate's eye socket.

The other person fell backward, knocking over the wooden frame next to the door.

Whoosh!

The sound of the earthenware jar shattering echoed throughout the hall.

The laughter outside stopped instantly.

"What's that noise?"

"Second brother!"

Dense footsteps approached rapidly.

Xilun is no longer hiding.

He bent down, grabbed the two curved knives from the bald man's waist, and kicked open the door.

The first pirate to charge had just raised his musket when a scimitar spun across the hall and sliced ​​open his throat.

Another curved blade followed closely behind, piercing the second man's chest.

"Enemy attack!"

A fierce roar finally rang out.

The hall was in complete chaos.

The pirates overturned the table, drew their swords, and raised their guns. Krov and the dark-skinned man stood up simultaneously, their third-tier power erupting forth.

Siren did not give the musketeers a chance to form ranks.

The muscles in my feet are taut.

His body instantly covered a distance of three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

He grabbed a pirate's wrist and pushed the gun barrel to the side.

boom!

A lead bullet shattered the face of another pirate.

Xilun slumped forward, his shoulders sinking, and the Great Thunder Breathing Technique within his chest suddenly vibrated.

hum!

A muffled, thunderous gust of air burst forth along the shoulders and back.

The pirate who was hit had his sternum caved in, and he was sent flying, crashing into two wooden tables.

"It's him!"

One of the pirates who had participated in the Blackwood Valley raid recognized Siron, "He's that third-rank priest from the fleet!"

Krof's pale yellow left eye suddenly contracted.

"He's all alone, surround him and kill him!"

The dark-skinned man was the first to pounce.

His arms quickly turned red, his fingers swelled, and his nails became like animal claws.

Although his strength was not stable after advancing to the third rank, his power was extremely fierce.

Siren sidestepped the claws.

The large tendons, like dragons, naturally coordinate the whole body.

His right leg lashed out like a whip, the sole of his shoe striking the opponent's knee hard.

Click!

The dark-skinned man's knees twisted inward, but he gritted his teeth and didn't fall. He swung his claws back at Xilun's temple.

Xilun lowered his head and moved closer.

The elbow strikes the other person's chin from below.

The Overturning Sea Technique's tidal force seeped into the skull first, followed closely by the Great Thunder Sound Breathing Technique.

boom!

The dark-skinned man coughed up blood from his mouth and nose, and his body was half a foot off the ground.

Xilun gripped his wrists and belt, twisting his abdominal muscles, and swung the three-tier extraordinary being, who weighed over two hundred pounds, up in the air.

The pirates around them were about to open fire.

The dark-skinned man became the shield that stood in front of Xiren.

Bang bang bang!

Several lead bullets pierced his back.

"you----"

The dark-skinned man stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Xilun threw him into the crowd.

Seven or eight pirates immediately fell to the ground.

"waste!"

Croft roared and grabbed the barbed harpoon.

As the force of the air was channeled into the chain at the end of the harpoon, it shot out like several live snakes, wrapping around Siron's limbs from different directions.

Xilun had already judged the man's strength in Blackwood Valley, so he naturally did not underestimate him.

He kicked up a long sword from the ground and slashed at the chains repeatedly.

Dangdang Dangdang!

Sparks flew everywhere.

The chain, made of some unknown material, instantly shattered the blade of the long sword.

One of the chains looped around the blade and wrapped around Siron's right wrist. Croft grinned maliciously and suddenly exerted force with both arms.

"Come here!"

The chains suddenly tightened.

Instead of resisting, Xilun charged forward.

His powerful tendons, like dragons, connected the strength of his entire body into one, making him twice as fast as Crove had predicted.

The distance between the two shortened in an instant, and Siren's left palm struck Croft's chest.

Krov's expression changed slightly, and he blocked with his harpoon.

The palm collided with the harpoon.

The surging energy of the Overturning Sea Technique flowed into the metal, causing Krov's arms to go numb and his body to involuntarily stagger backward.

Suddenly, Xilun exhaled a wisp of grayish-black breath.

Breath of the Styx.

Crove, a renowned Tier 3 pirate, possesses an almost beast-like instinct for danger.

The moment he saw the black mist, he held his breath and leaned back violently.

A grayish-black aura brushed against his left cheek.

The skin quickly lost its color.

Krov retreated in horror, and the chains loosened.

"The art of death energy?"

"You're a member of the Necromancers!"

Xilun did not answer.

He reached out and grabbed a heavy wooden table next to him, then suddenly lifted it up.

The wooden table spun and flew out, blocking the view of more than a dozen pirates.

Xilun then took the opportunity to smash through the side wall and retrieve the Thunder Spear that was leaning against the window in the room.

Acquired the dark gold spear shaft.

The atmosphere suddenly changed.

A chill ran through Krov's heart.

Just moments ago, Xilun, unarmed, was already rampaging through the hall, but now, with a spear in hand, he finally seemed to reveal his true strength.

"shot!"

Krov roared.

The musketeer pulled the trigger through the overturned tables and chairs.

Lead bullets and flashes of fire filled the hall.

Xilun's spear swept across.

A deep blue water curtain unfolded along the gun barrel, and a dozen lead bullets fell into the water curtain, their speed suddenly slowing down.

The next instant, the lightning energy hidden in the water light erupted.

The lead bullets were all blasted away.

Several of them were fired back at an even faster speed, piercing the musketeer's chest.

Xilun kept moving.

The gun barrels flowed like a river through the gaps between the tables and chairs.