Chapter 6: Drop Card: Bladesman Fellen
Tang Baduan frowned as he watched the young man return to the cliff under the cover of night, turning to ask the plump driver.
"Feibo, are you sure he really completed the job Tao Baibai gave him?"
"In… less than half a day?"
In fact, it had taken even less time than Tang Baduan had imagined. Feibo was wiping sweat while eating, swearing inwardly that the handsome young man was definitely a ruthless one.
He had personally seen the man carry a suitcase full of cash into a weapons store, then return with several guns and even more money.
That was the posture of someone who disregarded the law and human life entirely.
"Well… probably."
Feibo didn't want to offend such a person, so he mumbled a vague response and stopped talking to Tang Baduan.
Bai Cangshu walked along the slippery mountain road under the night sky. The wind was stronger at night, and thick, damp rain mist filled the path.
He carried a suitcase in each hand, soaked through by the misty rain, yet his steps were brisk, as if he were eager to return to the mountain inn and rest.
Clack.
A rock tumbled from the path, struck a dark boulder at the corner, then fell off the cliff.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"Is it because you think you're clever, that you've figured out the true trial set by Master Tao Baibai?"
A hoarse male voice drifted through the mist and rain, barely audible over the wind.
A figure appeared at the bend in the road, holding a curved blade in each hand. The blades turned slightly, flicking drops of rain into the air.
Bai Cangshu stopped and recognized the man as the bladesman who wore a red cloth mask.
"Master Tao Baibai's true trial…"
"What might that be?"
Bai Cangshu asked knowingly.
The wind gradually died down, and the rain mist began to disperse.
The man holding the twin blades finally revealed his full form. He was a thin man with long, wet, messy hair.
Bai Cangshu noticed that in anime and films, swordsmen were often depicted like this—wild and unrestrained—perhaps because only such appearances made people believe… their blades were fast.
The man was no longer wearing the red mask. It now wrapped around a round object at his feet.
Noticing Bai Cangshu's gaze, the man deliberately nudged the item forward and spoke.
"You're clever, but not quite clever enough. You figured it out a bit too late."
"Master Tao Baibai's requirement was that whoever completed the mission and earned the most bounty would become his disciple."
As the cloth unraveled, it revealed, as expected, a human head, slightly swollen from the rain.
"I figured it out just after leaving town. If I waited here and killed everyone returning from their missions, I'd naturally become Master Tao Baibai's disciple."
"So I immediately cut off the driver's head and came back to this mountain path."
His voice was raspy, and his smile cruel.
Bai Cangshu released his grip, letting both suitcases drop naturally to the ground.
The man stepped forward swiftly, his posture steady. The twin blades flipped into a reverse grip—shortening reach slightly, but vastly increasing speed and coverage.
"Be careful, boy. That's the bounty I'm offering to Master Tao Baibai."
Bai Cangshu looked at the man, who had apparently returned to ambush others after killing the driver, and finally revealed an intrigued smile.
Indeed, this world suited him best. This way of thinking… fit his tastes perfectly.
Bai Cangshu reached toward his waist, where the black short-barreled submachine gun revealed its grip.
The man's expression changed slightly. On such a narrow path that only allowed one person through, firearms posed a tremendous threat to him. He immediately lunged forward, lowering his center of gravity.
"Beyond seven steps, the gun wins. Within seven steps, the blade wins!"
Buzz!
The blade sliced through the air like a dragonfly's wings. Under the moonlight that finally broke through the clouds, a flash of cold steel lit up.
Bai Cangshu stepped back. His upper body twisted like a water serpent, dodging with uncanny flexibility.
Slash, slash, slash!
Three rapid strikes shattered the mist.
Bang!
A sudden gunshot echoed sharply through the cliffs.
"You…"
The man stared hard at Bai Cangshu, as if seeing something inconceivable.
During the dodge, a silver revolver had appeared out of thin air in the opponent's right hand—was this guy an ability user?
And more importantly...
That evasion move just now was exactly the same as that damned woman's...
"Damn it…"
He lowered his head, staring at the hollow in his chest. Strength drained rapidly, and soon his consciousness faded into darkness.
[You have killed Bladesman Fellen. Dimensional Points +100]
[Milestone: Kill-Type Progress Updated (4/100)]
Bai Cangshu straightened up, the gun in his hand disappearing once again as he opened his mouth and replied,
"Within seven steps, the gun is fast and accurate."
In truth, he had no real shooting experience. If not for having seen the bladesman fight earlier that day and being at such close range, he wouldn't have been sure whether he could land a shot.
But ultimately, in this kind of terrain, if one side had a gun and the other wasn't a martial artist, the advantage was nearly absolute.
Bai Cangshu's agility stat was also quite high. If the bladesman's strength had been overwhelming, he could've feigned retreat instead—in this narrow mountain path, there was no room to dodge bullets anyway.
He turned the silver revolver in his hand. It was loot from his spontaneous robbery of the weapons cache earlier.
[Revolver: Doom Knocks]
[Quality: Blue (Excellent)]
[Description: A renowned bounty hunter used this gun to kill over a hundred bounty targets, only to one day choke to death while eating.]
[Low reload speed, moderate firepower]
[Effect 1: Doom Knocks — This gun has an increased chance of hitting enemy vital points. This effect is negatively affected by firearm proficiency.]
[Effect 2: Doom Approaches — While wielding this gun, firearm proficiency is reduced by 2 levels. After firing 6 bullets, Luck receives a temporary penalty.]
It was a uniquely crafted revolver with a long barrel, over twenty centimeters in total length. Heavier than a standard handgun, and when loaded with .357 high-explosive Magnum rounds, it weighed nearly 2 kilograms.
It could be taken out of inventory space and stored in the [Backpack], and it even had a distinct name as a piece of gear.
What made the gun especially interesting was its "Doom" mechanic—it was less effective for those with high shooting skills. In other words, the more skilled the shooter, the less likely Doom would trigger.
Conversely, someone like Bai Cangshu, with no formal training, could randomly fire and still strike a vital spot with surprising results.
Of course, there were downsides after shooting, but Bai Cangshu hadn't felt any yet.
He returned the handgun to his backpack and bent down to search the dead bladesman for loot.
A white card had appeared on the corpse without warning. It hovered in the air, spinning continuously.
Bai Cangshu reached out and grabbed it.
[You have obtained a White Drop Card]
[Drop Card: Bladesman Fellen]
[Quality: White]
[Description: A standard drop card that may contain Fellen's unique abilities or items.]
[Effect: Crush to open]
Bai Cangshu crushed it without hesitation.
[You have opened White Drop Card: Bladesman Fellen]
[You have gained Dimensional Points +300]
[You have gained Scroll: Dual-Wield Weapon Proficiency (Rare)]
With a light kick, Bai Cangshu knocked the innocent driver's head off the cliff. Then he nudged Fellen's corpse over as well, eyes shifting to the blue scroll in hand.
[Dual-Wield Weapon Proficiency]
[Grade: Blue (Excellent)]
[Description: A scroll that encapsulates a legacy of combat skill, enabling you to gain expertise in wielding two weapons.]
[Effect 1: If the user has not learned dual-wield techniques, this grants Dual-Wield Weapon Proficiency Lv.1]
[Effect 2: If the user already knows dual-wield techniques, this improves the skill slightly]
(End of Chapter)