To hell with morality! Those were a dozen sets of ZUMA equipment. If I acquired them, it would mean billions of gold pieces. If I possessed that much gold, wouldn't there be immediate hope for my mother's throat treatment? And wasn't nearly two years of my efforts leading up to this very day? I calculated silently. Besides, Long Xin and the others were all lacking decent gear. It would be a fine thing if I could get a set for each of them. The Rangers were dead anyway; the equipment served no purpose left on them. I might as well put it to good use. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that I was right.

Without further hesitation, I cautiously scanned my surroundings one more time, confirming that I was indeed the only living soul nearby. Then, gingerly, I made my way toward the fallen figures on the ground.

They died horribly! Before me lay several Crimson Moon Warriors, gripping Judgment staves, clad in God of War Armor, wearing Black Iron Helmets, with standard ZUMA gear adorning their accessories, belts, and boots. I knew they were masters from the Shen Yue Palace. They had fallen in the melee, killed by their enemies, and even in death, they tightly clutched their Judgments. It took me quite some effort to pry the weapon from one's hand, and I stripped off his accessories, helmet, belt, and boots as well. The most troublesome part, however, was removing the God of War Armor. Of course, I maintained some decency; at least their cloth garments remained intact.

Next, I repeated the process, stripping the God of War Armor, Demon Robes, Ghost Garments, and more from the others. In no time, the gear of several Crimson Moon masters was stowed in my spatial package. Yet, looking at the remaining female corpses, I hesitated.

Heavens, I had to strip women's clothes, and they were ice-cold female corpses. It gave me a chilling, dreadful feeling. After much deliberation, I decided to abandon the idea.

Just as I was packing my bag and preparing to seek my next target, a faint sound of air slicing through the void suddenly rang out.

Ah! Killing intent!

In the mere flicker of a thought, my body reacted instantly.

Swish! Thud!

The moment I sprang back, I felt a massive explosive impact that violently threw me aside. It was the Lightning Bolt spell. As I was recoiling, I felt a slight numbness, and the distinct, scorched magical aura of electricity allowed me to easily discern that the attacker was a Mage, and a powerful one at that.

Hah! While my balance was lost, I executed several mid-air somersaults before planting my feet firmly on the ground again.

"Eh!" Several gasps echoed from the surroundings.

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw that, without my noticing, dozens of figures dressed as Rangers were now standing where I had just been. And thirty meters behind them stood an even larger crowd.

God, how long had I been encircled like this without realizing it! I forcibly suppressed the terror rising within me and quickly analyzed the current situation.

What was going on! Looking at these people, the front dozens were equipped with standard Crimson Moon Ranger gear, while the dense mass behind them—at least a thousand people—wore standard Advanced Warrior equipment. By the dragon insignia emblazoned on their chests, I easily identified them as members of the Mad Dragon Gang. What in the world was happening? Wasn't the Mad Dragon Gang being pursued by the Alliance and driven into the Coffin of Death? How could they be here? Upon closer inspection, however, I noticed these individuals didn't seem to be the same Mad Dragon Gang members from the previous skirmish; at least, they bore none of the fresh battle scars.

Reinforcements for the Mad Dragon Gang? I analyzed inwardly, but these reinforcements were awfully late.

However, in the present scenario, those details seemed irrelevant, as they were all staring at me with grim expressions.

"Light armor! Junior Ranger insignia, no guild marks!" The speaker was a female Mage wearing a Daoist Helmet. I deduced this from her voice and the female Demon Robe she wore, and judging by her voice, she sounded to be around twenty-five or twenty-six.

"Who are you!" Because she wore the Daoist Helmet, almost entirely obscuring her face, I couldn't see her expression, but her icy tone alone gave one the feeling of plunging into an ice cellar.

Damn it, who was this woman? Such intense killing intent. Not just her, but the thirty-plus experts surrounding her—not one of them was easy to deal with. My luck was truly abysmal.

Of course, I knew that saying anything now was futile. I needed to find a way to escape, and fast! But the path leading to the Dark Zone was completely blocked by them. To fight my way through such a tight encirclement, I frankly lacked the confidence, and staying put was clearly not an option either. Thinking of this, I instinctively glanced toward the entrance of the Coffin of Death beside me. If all else failed, I would have to charge in. My original plan had been to grab the loot and leave quickly. After all, the Coffin of Death was certainly no place for sightseeing right now, what with the terrifying Touch Dragon God and two large warring factions inside.

But currently, charging into the Coffin of Death seemed like the only viable exit. I analyzed this in my mind, but my mouth didn't stop working: "Uh! I was just passing through!" I tried to keep my expression as relaxed as possible: "As you can see, I'm just a Junior Ranger." As I spoke, I patted the edges of my clothing and unconsciously twitched the Ranger token on my chest.

"Junior Ranger!" the female Mage stated, still in that icy tone. "Based on your attire, perhaps. But many things cannot be judged by appearances. Furthermore, that's unimportant now, because you're about to die!"

"But I don't want to die!"

Having already gathered my strength, I exploded forward, charging toward the stone gate leading to the Coffin of Death!

"Think you can leave!"

Swish! Several sharp sounds of air tearing rent the quiet, rushing toward me! I felt a scorching blast of hot air envelop my back.

Ah! Great Fireballs! In an instant, the breathtaking battle between Yan Luo and Chi Jiao flashed through my mind. This scorching blast was exactly like the scene when Yan Luo unleashed her Great Fireball. Not only the intensity of the magical energy but also the speed were nearly identical.

Relying on my sharp physical senses, I knew the Great Fireballs shot at me were divided into three streams: two aimed for the lower back on either side, and the third arced out in a wider trajectory. If I wasn't mistaken, that Great Fireball was aimed ahead of me, completely sealing off my escape route.

This maneuver was identical to the one the young Mage used to kill Yan Luo. The memory of Yan Luo dodging that attack with a close-quarters, grounded bridge maneuver flashed through my mind.

Without any hesitation, I lunged forward, falling to the ground! Given my current posture with my back to the female Mage, performing a backward bridge was impossible. I had no choice but to slightly modify it into a forward-diving version. However, this posture was incredibly undignified; in movies from my previous life, this kind of forward dive was usually called the 'vicious dog pouncing'! But survival was critical now; I couldn't afford to care about appearances.

Swish! Almost the instant I hit the ground, two scorching waves of hot air brushed past my shoulders on my back, rushing forward. Simultaneously, I saw the third Great Fireball, like a Frisbee, cutting into the space about five meters in front of me.

Phew! That was close! If I had been a fraction of a second slower in dropping, or a bit faster in my forward surge, my life would have ended right there. Of course, I knew the danger hadn't passed! As I hit the ground, I supported myself with my left palm and executed a forward flip, my momentum never stopping, still maintaining the charge toward the stone gate of the Coffin of Death.

Swish! Swish! Swish! But soon, several bone-chilling waves of cold air suddenly arrived. Giant, white, ice-block-like masses hurled themselves madly toward the area within six meters of my body, and the direction toward the stone gate of the Coffin of Death was being bombarded furiously by countless great ice blocks.

Damn it! Ice Roar! And the density and sheer scope of it meant it couldn't have been cast by just one or two Mages.

I was certain that continuing to charge forward would result in being shattered into pieces. I didn't possess Chi Jiao's ability to rely on Body Protection Dou Qi to brute-force the Ice Roar bombardment. Although I knew how to use Body Protection Dou Qi, without super-defensive gear like the God of War Armor, relying solely on Body Protection Dou Qi to withstand Ice Roar was simply courting death.

This was infuriating! I had no choice but to change direction, darting toward the left, an area not covered by the Ice Roar. However, a stone wall blocked my path. As I bounced away, I heard:

Bang bang bang!

Behind me came a series of loud booms, making the very ground tremble. I was forced to stop moving because the massive stone wall stood right in front of me. Now, I was...

And the Mages behind me stopped attacking! It seemed they weren't planning to kill me just yet, at least not for the moment.

With a sense of helplessness, I forced a bitter smile and turned around.

I saw the female Mage and the dozens of experts around her watching me leisurely.

"Why aren't you running anymore!" The female Mage's tone was still icy, but I detected a hint of mockery within it.

"Listen, Sis, do I have any beef with you?" I was truly cornered now. I couldn't outrun them, and fighting thirty people—all of them top-tier Crimson Moon experts—was impossible, not to mention the nearly one thousand Advanced Warriors forming a perimeter far in the distance. How could I fight this? But I was never one to give up easily. A frontal assault was clearly not the way; I needed another plan.

"No!" The female Mage shook her head slightly.

"Then why do you keep giving me a hard time?" Although I knew this was all nonsense now, I needed to say something, at least to buy time. With time, I was sure to think of a solution.

"That’s just your bad luck!" the female Mage said calmly.

"Damn, my luck has never been good," I muttered to myself, sighing inwardly. "It really is true: 'Men die for wealth, and birds die for food!' I shouldn't have picked up that equipment in the first place!"

"Men die for wealth, and birds for food." The female Mage paused slightly. "A very philosophical saying!"

"Philosophy is useless when you're about to die!" I retorted instinctively. "It doesn't stop me from dying, and dying like this makes me deeply unwilling!"

"Unwilling," the female Mage echoed.

"Of course!" I felt a surge of joy; this was a lead! "I'm just a Junior Ranger, yet you're all Crimson Moon level experts, and there are over thirty of you ganging up on me!" As I spoke, I deliberately adopted a look of disdain. "To be honest, when I saw Chi Jiao of the Mad Dragon Gang dare to fight the Alliance, whose strength far surpassed his, I admired Chi Jiao a little for still having some backbone. But looking at you now, I’m truly disappointed. To kill one Junior Ranger, you need dozens of people? You dare call yourselves 'Mad' when engaging in such cowardly acts."

"What did you say, brat! And what right does Chi Jiao have to speak!" Another Warrior beside the female Mage seemed provoked by my words. From his tone, he sounded like he had a serious grudge against someone named Chi Jiao.

"What, did I say something wrong?" Perfect, I finally got a bite! This guy sounded to be around thirty, but since he was wearing a Black Iron Helmet, I couldn't see his face—nor did I care what he looked like. His reaction was enough to give me useful information. I didn't know why he reacted so strongly to my assessment of Chi Jiao, but this gave me a viable path forward. Clearly, this fellow had some history with Chi Jiao. As long as I focused on this fissure, perhaps a turn of events was possible. This situation reminded me of how I managed to deceive the Half-Beast Chieftain back then. It seemed in critical moments, I always relied on my silver tongue to turn the tide. The more I thought about it, the truer it seemed.

Damn it, in crucial moments, I still had to rely on my trickery! I just hoped it would work this time.

I quickly organized my thoughts and formulated a complete plan, my mind racing, though my mouth never stopped: "Or perhaps the Mad Dragon Gang has no decent figures other than Chi Jiao?"

"Roar! Shut your mouth!" It seemed this guy couldn't stand any assessment of Chi Jiao that wasn't purely negative. Did that Chi Jiao steal his wife, or perhaps take his sister! Based on his jealous tone, I felt even more confident in the deception plan I was about to execute. I decided to add more fuel to the fire: "I can see you're quite jealous of that fellow named Chi Jiao." As I spoke, I carefully examined the only part of the man exposed—his eyes. Sure enough, a flash of viciousness crossed his brown irises.

"Did he steal your wife, or did he take your sister?" I pressed on. To my surprise, flames almost erupted from those brown eyes, and the dozens of Crimson Moon experts around him tensed slightly! Even the female Mage’s expression grew complex as she looked at me.

"No way! Did my terrible luck actually hit the mark?" I exclaimed internally. Was I too talented?

"Good, very good!" The Warrior ground his teeth, looking as if he wanted to devour me alive. "You've angered me, and I will make your death extremely unpleasant." The Warrior slowly stepped toward me.

"Do you want a duel?" I forcibly suppressed the wild joy in my heart. I hadn't expected that just a few words would yield the result I most desired. It was obvious the female Mage led this group, but this guy was clearly someone of standing, otherwise, he wouldn't dare be so reckless; he must be the second-in-command here.

"A duel? You're not worthy!" The Warrior stopped five meters in front of me. "But you are so hateful to me that you must die by my hands. I will give you a relatively fair chance." The Warrior moved his Judgment staff to his back. "I will only use my right hand. Don't say I'm bullying you."

"Good!" I suppressed the elation surging through me. This guy was practically asking for it. I hadn't expected him to try to prove himself in this manner. It seemed my recent comments had struck a raw nerve.

"My name is Chi Xiao!" the Warrior stated grimly. "The Mad Dragon Gang is not just about Chi Jiao; you better remember that."

"Chi Xiao!" I nodded reflexively. Why did this name sound exactly like one from Xian Jian Qi Xia Zhuan 4? Of course, this was just a fleeting thought.

"State your name," Chi Xiao scrutinized me grimly, his look like a tiger assessing a struggling prey.

"My name isn't necessary! I'm just some nobody anyway," I continued. "Moreover, if I happen to escape, leaving my name behind would just invite trouble, wouldn't it?"

"An interesting thought," the female Mage, standing a bit further away, said calmly, but when she looked at Chi Xiao, her expression was grave. "Chi Xiao, be careful. I have a strange feeling about this kid."

Chi Xiao maintained his grim expression. "What's strange! Die now!"

Roar! Chi Xiao roared, and his massive fist, wrapped in astonishing Dou Qi energy, smashed toward my chest.

I, who had been prepared all along, was waiting for this exact opportunity. My prior feigned weakness as a Junior Ranger was precisely to lull them into complacency. It seemed my plan had worked. Chi Xiao wasn't even using his weapon, and the Dou Qi punch he casually threw was riddled with openings. Honestly, besides its sheer power, there was nothing else impressive about this strike. Of course, that was irrelevant now. What mattered was that I only had one chance, and I had to seize this rare opportunity. If I could capture him as a hostage, I could leave this place. This was the reason I had tried so hard to provoke him.

Swish! Swish! Having already built up momentum, I suddenly took an electrical step forward, my rapier flashing out with astonishing speed. My target was Chi Xiao's throat, the only part of him not protected by heavy armor. This was based on my prior detailed calculations.

The God of War Armor completely encased the wearer in thick, rigid metal, but the joints and the neck were covered with hardened leather or similar material. If the neck and joints were also encased in iron, warriors wearing the God of War Armor would likely be unable to walk or even turn their heads. This could be considered the only weakness of the God of War Armor. Of course, by my estimation, the unique rapid-stabbing technique of the rapier could pierce the God of War Armor’s defense, but for maximum safety, I opted for the highest probability target: the throat.