Chapter 116: The Cunning Scoundrel

The purple anomaly had been driven into a corner by Qi Chen and Warm Man.

On the outskirts of Yellowstone Town, there were almost no people to be found, which meant there were no living hosts for the purple anomaly to utilize its body-control ability. Yet, both Qi Chen and Warm Man suddenly sensed something amiss. Every anomaly walker was bound to have invested great effort into developing their abilities, and in combat, they would always strive to find the most advantageous terrain for their specific powers. For the purple anomaly, a place with more people was naturally more favorable. As long as it could shuttle between different hosts, the chances of shaking off its pursuers would increase; it could even hide within the body of an ordinary person and completely conceal its presence. In such a state, even someone with high mental strength like Qi Chen would find it difficult to detect its existence if it didn’t leak its aura.

And yet, this creature had intentionally fled to this desolate place.

"Something's wrong!" Warm Man suddenly spoke up. "It might have an accomplice nearby covering its retreat!"

As if to confirm his suspicion, a low gunshot suddenly rang out from a great distance. Before the sound reached their ears, the bullet was already upon them!

*Squelch!*

A spray of blood bloomed on Warm Man’s left shoulder without warning! Fortunately, Warm Man was currently in a state of anomaly possession. The moment the bullet tore through his coat and touched his skin, his "Warm-Heart" instinctually protected its host, turning the hardened warhead as soft as rubber. Even so, Warm Man let out a muffled grunt, having sustained an injury.

Qi Chen immediately stepped in front of Warm Man. His gray-white "Overlord" manifested outside his body, acting like an invisible barrier between them and the threat.

*Bang! Bang!*

Muffled gunshots continued to ring out as large-caliber bullets struck toward them one after another.

"ROAR!"

Overlord bellowed, swinging its fists to intercept the spiraling bullets in mid-air. Taking advantage of the distraction, the purple anomaly bolted toward the boundary of Yellowstone Town!

"Keep chasing! I'm fine! Judging by the gunshots, this guy only has one accomplice, perhaps even the anomaly’s master himself. He can't keep his eyes on both of us at once!" Fearing that the thumb-sized anomaly might escape, Warm Man clutched his shoulder wound and urged Qi Chen to hurry.

Qi Chen hesitated for a moment, cast a worried glance at Warm Man, then gritted his teeth and chased after the fleeing anomaly. He trusted that Warm Man could take care of himself.

***

As the chase continued, Qi Chen became increasingly certain that the enemy had prepared a series of contingency plans. The route chosen was devoid of not only the mist-travelers who came to Yellowstone for trade but even the town’s own patrol guards. Although the defense of Yellowstone Town could not compare to the likes of City No. 3, it shouldn't have been this lax. Yet, the fact remained: by following the purple anomaly, he had perfectly bypassed every patrol team in the area.

They were about to leave Yellowstone Town!

In the distance, the fence made of wood and iron was faintly visible. Once they crossed that perimeter, they would be completely outside the territory of Yellowstone Town! However, there were sentry posts at the fence line. Qi Chen immediately realized that these guards might pose an even greater obstacle to him because... they could not see anomalies.

"Hey! Who goes there! Halt!"

As expected, the guards at the outpost noticed Qi Chen sprinting toward them and immediately grew alert. Five or six guards occupied various firing positions, locking onto Qi Chen from afar with a variety of weapons. Mid-sprint, Qi Chen had no time to pull out his credentials to explain; the purple anomaly was only a few meters away from leaping past the blockade. All he could do was summon Overlord to fly ahead and intercept any incoming gunfire.

Seeing their warning ignored, the guards didn't bother with further words and decisively pulled their triggers! A cacophony of gunfire erupted—some dull, some sharp—as bullets of various calibers formed a barrage aimed at Qi Chen.

But the guards’ jaws dropped, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. The man running toward their muzzles didn't even attempt a simple evasive maneuver; he only accelerated toward the post with reckless abandon! And... he didn't seem to be getting hit at all.

"Are we... all terrible shots?" The same thought surfaced in the minds of several guards, who looked at their comrades in disbelief. How could none of them land a hit?

Suddenly, screams rang out, and the guards fell into chaos. One of them, acting as if possessed, suddenly turned his weapon on his own comrades and began firing wildly without hesitation. The caught-off-guard sentries didn't even have time to react before they collapsed in a heap.

Blood gushed from the wounds, claiming the lives of the guards. The one firing was the very person controlled by the purple anomaly!

"ROAR!" Overlord let out a thunderous bellow, lunging forward alongside Qi Chen. As the purple anomaly was busy slaughtering the guards, Qi Chen finally closed the distance. He leaped, wrapping his arms around the controlled man. The two collided and tumbled across the ground, finally coming to a stop only after crashing into a stack of sandbags.

"Have you chased enough? You bastard!"

This was the first time Qi Chen had communicated with the purple anomaly. Although the creature only used the controlled person's body to speak, it proved that the anomaly walker behind the scenes was monitoring all movements in real-time!

"Hmph!"

Qi Chen’s response was as direct as Overlord’s. He raised his fist and brought it down. Though his combat experience wasn't extensive, he was already mounted on the target—how could he not know what to do? You hit a man in the face!

Punch after punch rained down. Muffled thuds echoed continuously, but the presence of the purple anomaly granted the controlled sentry immense resistance, allowing him to endure the beating without losing consciousness. Instead, he shoved his hips upward, throwing Qi Chen to the side. He then snatched the pistol from his belt, disengaged the safety, and aimed it straight at Qi Chen!

*Bang!*

The shot rang out, but it was drowned out by a much more ferocious roar. Overlord caught the bullet in its palm, then dashed toward the guard, wrapping its arms around him in a crushing bear hug!

"ROAR!"

With a surge of force, the guard instantly lost consciousness. The purple anomaly popped out once again. However, there was a trace of terror on its tiny, creature-like face.

"Damn maniac!"