Chapter 99: Counter-Arrest

Zhang Pu immediately understood: this was a secret signal to summon allies!

This fellow must still lack confidence, thinking he might not be able to defeat me, so he's calling for reinforcements?

Zhang Pu sneered inwardly: You think I'm still the same person as yesterday? Go ahead and call them! I'm happy to oblige, and I’ll take you all down together. That way, I won’t have to compete with Poison Dragon Pool for the Black Dragon.

He didn’t expect these people could help him deal with the Black Dragon, and thought: Just don’t get in my way when the time comes.

After the whistle, the ninja suddenly beckoned to Zhang Pu and made a gesture to keep quiet, then pointed in a certain direction...

So the ninja’s telling me there’s a wild beast ahead, and we should approach from both sides?

Zhang Pu deciphered his intentions!

He silently laughed to himself: Go ahead and play your drama! I’ll cooperate with you to the best of my ability—then we’ll both get what we want!

Zhang Pu immediately acted as if he understood the ninja’s meaning.

Next, the two of them moved one after the other, as if encircling a delicious prey, heading further into the mountain forest.

No one else seemed to notice them.

But just as they disappeared behind a small hill ahead, two men rushed over from nearby—the ninja’s hidden group.

They had heard the team’s special whistle signaling enemy engagement, so they hurried over.

After the ninja and Zhang Pu crossed the hill, the ninja seemed to deliberately linger for Zhang Pu to catch up, and Zhang Pu, “considerate” as ever, quickened his steps to join him.

“Where’s the beast?” Zhang Pu asked, feigning concern as he looked around, as if searching for the Emperor’s new clothes.

“Right here! How can you not see such a big target yourself?”

As the ninja spoke, he suddenly launched a close-range attack with his armored claw, aiming at Zhang Pu—a surprise that was nearly impossible to guard against!

Yet, in that instant, Zhang Pu only sneered: Such petty tricks!

“Ah—you…”

When the ninja realized his claw had missed, he felt himself lifted by a tremendous force.

Heavens! Was this the same Zhang Pu, that ordinary student? The ninja was dumbstruck!

“What’s with the ‘you’ and ‘me’? Let’s talk down there. Looks like a beast is coming from behind; let’s not get dragged away!” Zhang Pu sensed the ninja’s reinforcements approaching from the rear.

At that moment, he noticed a good spot down the slope.

“Ah—what are you doing?” The restrained ninja cried out in fright, “If you want to die, don’t drag me with you…”

But in an instant, Zhang Pu had activated the Wind Riding Technique from the cultivation world, surging down the slope. He couldn’t fly yet, but with his current abilities, descending the slope was easy.

The ninja had no idea Zhang Pu’s powers had soared; he still thought Zhang Pu was his equal.

He didn’t have the confidence to rush down the steep slope, so he assumed Zhang Pu was trying to take them both out.

But Zhang Pu ignored his cries, disappearing into the depths at the foot of the slope with the Wind Riding Technique.

After Zhang Pu and the ninja vanished, the two who had responded to the whistle arrived one after the other.

But when they got there, they saw no sign of the ninja.

“Did you see anyone?” one asked.

“No, did you?” replied the other.

Just before, Zhang Pu had dashed down the slope with the Wind Riding Technique, leaving no obvious trace—almost like the legendary ‘no footprints in the snow’ of martial arts. The two newcomers found nothing.

Besides, with such a steep slope, neither believed anyone would choose to rush down in a suicidal manner.

“Maybe they're ahead,” one of them said.

Both glanced ahead, then hurried forward to search. Turning past another small hill, they too disappeared from the area.

At the bottom of the slope, Zhang Pu released the ninja when he discovered a cave.

But as soon as the ninja was freed, he attacked Zhang Pu again.

“Shuriken?” Zhang Pu sneered.

Then, as the ninja’s eyes widened in shock, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints, Zhang Pu effortlessly destroyed his weapon.

Now, Zhang Pu felt a new confidence—he could probably catch bullets; these shuriken couldn’t harm him in the slightest.

At this point, the ninja looked at Zhang Pu as if facing death itself: Heavens! Has this man been possessed by a demon? How did he become so terrifying? He was never like this before!

The ninja had not a shred of fighting spirit left.

“Still want to fight?” Zhang Pu asked deliberately.

“No… no more fighting…”

The ninja, stammering as if he’d seen a ghost, left Zhang Pu somewhat disappointed. In his mind, the ninja should have bravely committed seppuku to uphold his reputation.

But instead, the ninja chose to surrender and cooperate!

When did ninjas begin to endure humiliation and survive?

Zhang Pu found it endlessly ironic.

To prevent their voices from carrying up above, Zhang Pu deliberately led the ninja into the cave for interrogation, intending to question him thoroughly.

Inside, it was pitch black.

Zhang Pu tossed out a curt order: “You handle the lighting.”

He knew that ninjas, often operating at night, would always have some sort of light source.

The ninja sighed helplessly and finally obeyed.

But the light he produced was dim—just enough for them to see their surroundings. The depths of the cave remained invisible, but Zhang Pu stayed alert, wary of the mysteries hidden in the wild mountains. For all he knew, something could be lurking deeper inside.

“What are you planning now?” Zhang Pu’s interrogation began.

“Whatever you say, I’ll do.” The ninja responded efficiently.

He was clearly someone well-versed in the ways of the outside world, experienced in life. He knew, at times like this, honesty was the key to survival. If he kept resisting and angered his enemy, he would only court death. Now that Zhang Pu had him completely under control, his life was no longer his own.

“I’ll ask, you answer,” Zhang Pu said next.

“Alright!” came the crisp reply.

“You know Gao Lixia, right? A girl from Qingwu City Modern High School.”

Zhang Pu’s first thought was that night when he’d been inexplicably attacked by this ninja. Around then, he’d just dealt with the school bully, Gao Lixia. He’d always suspected her, especially since her fighting style reminded him of certain martial arts from the island nation.