Chapter 12: The Clash of Impostor and Impostor
"Do monsters feel pain?"
Xi Nian, wearing female battle armor, asked expressionlessly. He planted his feet on Abomination's raised arms and drove his vintage sword deeper into its eye socket, the patterned blade sinking further with each downward push.
"Argh!!"
Abomination's right eye exploded under the strike, and a skull-splitting scream tore from its throat. Finally, it released Spider-Woman from its grip.
Spider-Woman was about to fall onto the rubble below when Xi Nian pulled the sword out with lightning speed, green, putrid blood spraying into the air. With his left arm, he caught Spider-Woman around her small waist and dashed out of the smoke-filled city as fast as possible.
Only dozens of meters away, Abomination roared like a volcano erupting, clutching its bleeding eye. Its scream formed a shockwave, shaking the air within a hundred meters and sending flames retreating in fear. Glass shattered, car alarms blared in warning.
Abomination was truly enraged this time.
Xi Nian, still holding Spider-Woman, noticed something hurtling toward them. Looking back, he saw a military SUV flying through the night cityscape.
Not just one.
Taxis, vans, even a massive long bus were launched like meteors.
Each vehicle hit the ground with immense force.
Xi Nian leaped forward, evading one vehicle after another while holding Spider-Woman and the sword. Cars crashed, sparks flew, stones scattered, explosions igniting into fireballs.
Dodging a third van rolling past his shoulder, his movement space was severely limited. Before he could catch his breath, a bus followed closely behind!
Its massive shadow covered them. There was nowhere to dodge.
Xi Nian, guided by his divine sense, stopped abruptly, planting his feet firmly. He faced the bus, drew a deep breath, and swung his vintage sword with all his might.
Shing!!
Air, smoke, dust, fire—everything within three meters was sliced in half!
The bus split cleanly down the middle, metal edges smooth as a mirror. Both halves rolled backward, becoming flaming heaps of scrap metal.
"Phew." Xi Nian's hand trembled slightly. He exhaled and saw a green-yellow giant shadow suddenly land behind him, the ground beneath sinking under its weight.
It was Abomination.
Xi Nian's silver pupils narrowed. The car-throwing was only a diversion. He had underestimated Abomination.
Even injured in the right eye and enraged, it used tactics no normal person would consider.
Abomination's twisted face landed and struck Xi Nian in the back with a devastating punch. Air exploded, chaos of wind and pressure filling the street.
His sword flew from his hand, and Xi Nian, holding Spider-Woman, was hurled twenty to thirty meters into a building.
"Cough, cough." Xi Nian rose, still clutching Spider-Woman, absorbing the impact with his own body. His blood felt turbulent, yet he had few visible injuries from a punch capable of toppling skyscrapers.
Remembering something, he removed the vintage round shield from his back. Dark gold with subtle energy ripples, it showed no damage despite its mysterious material and patterned surface.
"This shield," Xi Nian murmured, eyes brightening. He had almost forgotten it at home.
If the gold lasso had extraordinary properties, capable of extending and capturing anything, and the vintage sword could easily cut through metal, then this shield was no ordinary defense either. It absorbed Abomination's punch, proving its worth.
Perhaps even the boots and bracelets carried hidden powers.
"Am I fully equipped in divine armor?" Xi Nian whispered, realization dawning.
Now, escaping with Spider-Woman was unrealistic. To defeat the monster, this impostor goddess had to unleash the full potential of her weapons and armor.
"Don't come near me!"
Inside the building where Xi Nian had been hurled, in a dark corner on the second floor, a man in a US military uniform cowered, terrified at the sight of Xi Nian and Spider-Woman.
"It's you?"
Xi Nian recognized him instantly—the soldier barely spared from Abomination's attack. Likely trapped during the chaos, he had hidden, awaiting reinforcements.
Xi Nian placed Spider-Woman on a sofa and instructed, "Protect her."
The soldier nodded in panic.
Xi Nian leaped from the second-floor window, shield in hand. The soldier watched in awe as Xi Nian charged Abomination, his worldview crumbling under the spectacle.
He radioed shakily, "General, this is Zone Zero. Our forces have been defeated. A mysterious figure is fighting Abomination. Repeat: someone is battling Abomination! Respond if received!"
Static answered back.
On the burning streets, Abomination couldn't comprehend. Its mighty punch failed to kill, even severely wound Xi Nian.
Even worse, Xi Nian dared to strike first.
For Abomination, this was the ultimate humiliation.
Its roar shook the night sky, a primal, savage beast charging recklessly at Xi Nian. No cunning plans—just brute force.
Being at the top of the food chain, it believed it could override tactics or technology with sheer strength alone.
Xi Nian's speed increased, silver eyes cold and merciless like an ancient god awakened.
Facing the oncoming monster, he made one move—shield strike!
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