CHAPTER 79: CHAPTER 79: ULTERIOR MOTIVES

"That’s true."

The three didn’t hesitate any longer and quickly left the manor, heading towards the nearest major city, Lingguan City, from Chentai City.

Six hours were left.

On the road, Lu Ren glanced at the specialized watch on his wrist, silently estimated in his heart, then looked at the countdown displayed on the system panel and simply set a six-hour countdown.

"What’s that?"

Nuoshan, who had been watching Lu Ren, couldn’t help but ask when he saw Lu Ren’s actions.

"Nothing."

Lu Ren glanced at Nuoshan, his expression indifferent as he answered.

Nuoshan had always been prejudiced against him, from the beginning until now; especially after seeing Lu Ren pull out dual pistols, the "true love" notification from the system had been going off nonstop.

It made him feel rather uneasy.

Nuoshan was silent for a moment before speaking: "Thank you for intervening earlier, otherwise I might have already been dead."

"It was nothing."

"The hidden weapon in your hand is very impressive; the arrows it fires are impossible to dodge. What’s the name of this hidden weapon?"

Nuoshan was quite curious, his usually cold expression easing to reveal a slightly forced friendliness.

Lu Ren’s face was already heavy from the previous combat, and now, hearing Nuoshan’s words, it grew even colder.

Nuoshan clearly harbored ill intentions; there was no way Lu Ren was going to answer his questions.

Rita spoke sternly: "Nuoshan!"

He called out, indicating that it was abrupt and impolite to probe into others’ secrets like that.

The usually cold Nuoshan seemed rather emotional at this moment, letting out an awkward laugh.

"We’ve already been through life and death together, no need to mind such details!"

Lu Ren glanced at Nuoshan’s demeanor and words, pulled the reins, and brought the galloping warhorse to a stop.

Seeing this, Rita and Nuoshan couldn’t help but stop, and Rita asked: "What’s wrong?"

Lu Ren, tired of beating around the bush, glanced at Nuoshan and flipped the table.

"This guy has ill intentions. I think, Rita, you can see what he’s up to. I don’t want to travel with someone who harbors wicked thoughts right after being saved - I’m afraid I’ll have to test my food for poison. Let’s part ways here; thanks for getting me out, and we’ll call it even."

With six hours left, Lu Ren had no worries.

Nuoshan’s face turned quite sullen upon hearing Lu Ren’s blunt words, almost as if water could drip from it; he hadn’t expected Lu Ren to speak so candidly.

"Kid, just because you saved us doesn’t mean you can speak recklessly."

Lu Ren glanced at him without expression, raising the gun in his hand, not wanting to engage with such a person, and pulled the reins to take another path.

Rita, too, looked somewhat helpless. Having been with Nuoshan for so long, how could he not know Nuoshan’s intentions? But he hadn’t expected Lu Ren to give no room for maneuver.

He could only sigh, cupping his hands in farewell: "Brother Lu, sorry for any offense, have a safe journey."

Nuoshan’s face turned quite ugly, especially since Rita didn’t refute him, instead apologetically bidding farewell to Lu Ren, which infuriated him, feeling that Rita was taking sides!

If they could obtain the hidden weapon in Lu Ren’s hands, their chances of survival would greatly increase, and if they could understand how to manufacture it, imagine the help it would provide to the Mortal World now.

With the Yang Membrane developing a large hole, this part of the Mortal World might face great trouble, requiring them to migrate!

Thud!

Nuoshan shouted: "Brother Lu, please don’t mind, the hidden weapon in your hands is crucial to us. Could you tell us how it’s made? You’ll be generously rewarded, with divine skills, secret medicines, and precious materials! You know the Mortal World struggles to hold out; having that hidden weapon could allow even ordinary people to battle demons, greatly increasing our survival odds!!"

Ugly face.

Regarding the other party using grand justification to pressure Lu Ren, Lu Ren didn’t feel much empathy.

Seeing Lu Ren unmoved, Nuoshan’s face filled with anger just as he was about to speak.

In the distance, a rumble made the ground vibrate slightly. Lu Ren turned his head to look, his expression flickering, then without hesitation, rode forward rapidly.

"Hyah!!"

Pulled the reins, his legs squeezed the horse’s belly slightly, and the horse, in pain, neighed, beginning to gallop forward.

Lu Ren, caught off guard, nearly got pulled off the horse by the sudden inertia, but thanks to his current physical condition, he quickly regained his balance; he even felt as if he could perform a set of punches atop the galloping horse with unwavering stability.

This agility brought him abilities of reaction, balance, and self-coordination.

"That damn Slippery Gourd is chasing us!"

Rita and Nuoshan also saw who it was. Seeing the creature, bones covered in black, purple muscle tissue with menacing bone spikes on its back, elbows, and knees, each step taking it over twenty meters.

Even at full gallop, the distance between them was constantly closing.

If this continued, they were doomed!

Lu Ren contemplated internally, about to speak when suddenly he felt a heavy whooshing sound from behind, simultaneously hearing Rita’s astonished voice.

"Nuoshan, what are you doing?!"

In the corner of his eye, he saw Nuoshan’s great sword slashing towards his horse.

No time for any unnecessary actions, Lu Ren exerted strength in his waist and abdomen, pressing his hands on the horse’s back, narrowly avoiding the other’s great sword.

But his poor horse did not fare well, being cleaved in two by Nuoshan’s heavy sword.

In mid-air, Lu Ren’s face was ice-cold. As he flipped in the air, he drew his pistol, seizing the gap to squeeze the trigger.

Bam!

Seemingly prepared, Nuoshan swung his great sword horizontally, shielding his head. Although he had prepared, the massive force unleashed by the bullet striking the sword still made his complexion change drastically.

This caused him to fall off his horse.

Seeing this, Rita couldn’t help but halt, his face full of complex emotions as he looked at the two. As for Nuoshan’s greed, how could he not know? Even he, when Lu Ren displayed such a powerful hidden weapon, had a fleeting thought, but he suppressed it with his strong self-control.

"Everywhere there’s someone harmful!"

Lu Ren muttered, about to fire another shot but suddenly halted, then sprinted forward without turning back, running over twenty meters in a single breath.

Nuoshan seemed to sense something too, and turned his head to look back.

Thud!

The Corpse Demon-formed Slippery Gourd landed in front of Nuoshan, bending down to gaze at his terrified face with its red, glowing eyes.

"A mortal, daring to kill a god?"

"Kill!!"

No time to pursue Lu Ren, Nuoshan roared angrily, seemingly employing some secret technique; his skin instantly turned blood-red, making him leap like a boiled shrimp from the ground as if propelled by a spring, the tightly-gripped great sword soaring towards the Corpse Demon’s head.

Clang!