He had never seen such impatient bandits before. They began fighting each other before even getting their spoils. Weren't they just paving their own way to destruction?

But Qiu Zihao confidently retorted, "I alone am enough to deal with you. Do you think I'm as foolish as Xiong Yi? But to be honest, you are quite skilled, and your technique is formidable. Why not share your methods with me? I might spare your life."

Yet Zhou You thought him even more foolish. Did Qiu believe he had already given it his all?

"Sure, kneel and call me 'grandfather', and maybe I'll condescend to teach you a thing or two."

"You're courting death!" Qiu Zihao removed half of his mask, revealing a face covered in patterns, resembling tattoos. His hands formed a seal, and the patterns on his face suddenly emitted a red glow.

Zhou You recognized something familiar in that red light. It was indeed from Master Wei's group, but this sensation was significantly inferior to their ritual array.

"Is that all?" Zhou You sneered.

However, the unconscious Dr. Zhao suddenly screamed, his body convulsing. A black mist emerged from him, and more mist gathered from the outside of the window. If Zhou You were to step out, he'd see everyone in the camp twitching in their sleep.

While Zhou You was unsure of what it was, he knew he had to stop the masked man. Slapping the table beside him, numerous surgical knives levitated and shot towards the enemy. The assailant drew a circle in the air, and the black mist solidified to block the knives.

Seizing the momentary distraction, Zhou You quickly scooped up Dr. Zhao, pressing several points on his body to immobilize him before pushing him towards Shao Qi.

"Stop playing dead and check on Dr. Zhao!" After uttering these words, Zhou You picked up Xiong Yi's dagger and lunged at Qiu Zihao. The latter wanted to avoid close combat due to the confined space but found himself trapped.

Only in direct confrontation did he realize how formidable this young man was. Zhou You's moves were familiar to many, but each punch and palm strike was incredibly powerful, leaving Qiu Zihao overwhelmed.

Xiong Yi's dagger was specially crafted, capable of draining the life force of anyone with the slightest scratch.

Qiu Zihao wielded a flexible sword, made of the same material and a gift from Master Wei to his disciples. However, the same weapon yielded different powers in different hands. Qiu Zihao's martial strength clearly surpassed Xiong Yi’s. His blade easily sliced through the carriage's interior, explaining his audacity in betraying his companions to claim the White Tiger.

Still, he underestimated Zhou You's capabilities, assuming someone of Zhou's age couldn't surpass a martial general. Being the most talented disciple of Master Wei and having practiced dark arts, he believed he was unmatched by most generals.

The two engaged fiercely, blades flashing, causing such a ruckus that the vehicle's interior soon fell apart, exposing everyone to the night.

"Who are you, really? Why are you with this group?" Qiu Zihao had investigated this convoy earlier. It was merely a group of refugees from the south with a leader of only initial martial artist strength. The rest were minor soldiers. How could such a skilled fighter be hiding in the medical vehicle?

Could this be the reason Master wanted them to capture someone? But if the Master knew of Zhou You's prowess, why didn’t he come himself?

Numerous wounds adorned Qiu Zihao, none fatal, yet in contrast to the unscathed Zhou You, he was clearly at a disadvantage. He tried to activate his array multiple times, but each attempt was thwarted by Zhou You's interventions. Surprisingly, the first to falter from exhaustion was Qiu himself.

"This can't be!" He had destroyed his own face in his quest to master this dark magic, taken countless lives, and hidden his inadequacies from the world, all in the hopes of someday astonishing everyone. He hadn't anticipated facing such a formidable adversary.

With a quick roll, he evaded Zhou You's thrown dagger, grabbing a fellow disciple from the corner and hurling him at Zhou You.

That man had been watching their duel intently. As he was thrown, he cursed, spinning twice mid-air before drawing a pistol and firing straight at Zhou You's face.

Landing firmly, he laughed arrogantly, "As I always say, no matter how advanced martial arts become, it always comes down to guns. How could human technology ever regress? This gun of mine..."

He assumed Zhou You couldn't dodge at such close range. His custom-made bullet was so powerful that even their master wouldn't dare to take it head-on. Yet, not only did Zhou You survive, he caught the bullet with his fingertips.

"It's over!" That was the only thought in his mind. He had never encountered a human being so powerful. His only option was to flee.

Chapter 037: Weren't you just almost taken hostage?

As he turned, a white shadow lunged at him. He hastily raised his gun, but a dagger flew in, embedding itself into his palm. The gun fell, and a young white tiger clung to his head in a frenzy, scratching his face and biting viciously, turning his visage grotesque. His screams echoed through the silent night.

Zhou You approached, stepping over the blood, and with one swipe of his dagger, finished him off.

A sound pierced the air. Zhou You looked up to see Shao Qi sitting up, holding a miniature pistol. The fleeing silhouette collapsed, most likely dead.

"What's this precious weapon?" Zhou You curiously asked.

Shao Qi tossed the gun to him, casually remarking, "It's a gift for you. Perfect for someone who plays dumb to outsmart others."

Only upon holding it did Zhou You realize how small and light the gun was, smaller than his palm and resembling a toy, with no visible magazine. He wondered how it could kill.

"Don't bother studying it," Shao Qi advised, "Even with another decade, you, a country bumpkin, wouldn't fathom its workings. It's a product of the Sixth Military Factory. Unavailable in the market, it uses a laser amplified many times over, capable of penetrating even rhino or crocodile skin."

Shao Qi observed Zhou You with interest. He had witnessed the earlier combat and was surprised by this young man's prowess. Calling him a wolf in sheep's clothing was spot on.