The 20 or so players from Asskickers United were invincible as they swept away the remnants forces of Bloodlust Blades, especially Tang Yao, Undying Scoundrel, Natural Fiend, and the other Mages whose area-of-effect spells wiped out numerous fleeing groups.

Each of them was strong in their own right, but their outstanding teamwork allowed them to explode with even more astonishing power.

The players from Bloodlust Blades were completely routed, and were fleeing with their tails tucked between their legs.

Nirvana Flame, Young Sparrow Hawk, Aqua Smoke Stub, Resplendent Bladelight... they were some of the most famous names in the game. An appearance from just one of them would already be a huge deterrent, let alone when the whole gang was brought together.

Clad in their heavy plate armours, Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the other Warriors resembled tanks, steamrolling through everything in their path and leaving a trail of corpses behind them.

Nie Yan felled another player from Bloodlust Blades with a slash of Zennarde’s Sword. At this moment, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Although the feeling was fleeting, he still took notice.

His high Awareness could help him detect even the faintest trace of a threat!

A Thief! This was the first thought to surface in Nie Yan’s mind.

However, Nie Yan couldn’t determine the other party’s position. Conviction was full of different skills. Encountering a Thief with a skill that enhanced their stealthing ability was nothing out of the ordinary. Since he was being watched, he just had to be vigilant.

A Thief who could remain undetected while in Nie Yan’s presence was definitely no slouch.

Nie Yan stretched out his senses to their limit in preparation to deal with a sneak attack at a moment’s notice.

Now!

Nie Yan’s pupils shone with an enigmatic light while the veins around his eyes bulged out. His gaze swept over every corner of the vast wasteland, but he failed to find any trace of the opponent even after a long time. So, he could only give up his search.

Not too far away, a Shadow Priest gazed anxiously in Nie Yan’s direction.

This Shadow Priest appeared to be around 30 years old. His lanky figure was garbed in black robes, his nose curved downwards like a hook, and his narrow eyes constantly shifted from one side to the other. In fact, he quite closely resembled a rat.

It was precisely this Shadow Priest who had cast Shackles of Strife earlier. Nie Yan naturally had no intention of letting this fellow off after spotting him. For the past two hours, he couldn’t use Return Scrolls or Unknown Transfers Scrolls. This was the terrifying effect of an Advanced Magic, and it would continue to persist until either one of them died.

As the Shadow Priest turned to flee, Nie Yan disappeared into stealth and went into pursuit.

Nie Yan shortened the gap in an instant, with only about five meters separating them.

Just as Nie Yan drew close, the Shadow Priest suddenly turned around and threw an orb of light up into the air. Beneath the piercing radiance, Nie Yan’s silhouette was revealed.

Nie Yan was no more than two meters away!

A sinister smile surfaced on the Shadow Priest’s face.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment!” the Shadow Priest cackled as he waved his staff and targeted Nie Yan with a Slow Curse, reducing his speed by a slight fraction.

Despite this, Nie Yan was still rapidly closing in on the Shadow Priest.

Seeing the Shadow Priest’s scheming expression, a thought flashed across Nie Yan’s mind. He quickly activated Mind Immune from the Medal of the Ten Holy Paladins.

The Shadow Priest opened his mouth as an blood-curdling screech escaped his throat.

Howl of Terror!

You’re practically right in my face. Let’s see you escape this! The Shadow Priest sneered. However, he was shocked to discover that his Howl of Terror had no effect on Nie Yan. His terrified eyes reflected the dark glow of black flames as Zennarde’s Sword came slashing down on him.

Blood splattered the ground as Nie Yan killed the Shadow Priest.

Nie Yan suddenly started running around aimlessly like a headless chicken, feigning as if he was actually under the influence of Howl of Terror.

Nie Yan’s acting was very realistic, his timing flawless.

From the point of an observer, it appeared Nie Yan was struck by Howl of Terror while in mid-slash. This was why the Shadow Priest still died.

A silhouette emerged out of nowhere beside Nie Yan and struck at his forehead with a Concussive Blow.

The assailant was precisely the Thief who had been stalking Nie Yan this whole time!

This Thief’s actions were quick and ruthless. With a glance, Nie Yan could tell his opponent this time around was a tough cookie!

Nie Yan’s lips curved into a cold smile. Got you!

The only reason he pretended to be under the effects of Howl of Terror just now was to lure out this Thief. It was a success. His performance had fooled the eyes of the other party.

However, Nie Yan didn’t dare to be careless. His opponent’s attacks were lightning-fast and carried an overbearing killing intent.

Nie Yan quickly raised his dagger to parry.

「Klang!」

He immediately retaliated with a Concussive Blow of his own.

The Thief’s expression flickered with surprise. He never expected that Nie Yan could still defend himself.

Nie Yan instantly recognized his opponent who was clad in a set of ash-gray leather armour. It was Shadow Killer! Despite being caught off-guard, Shadow Killer’s countenance was tranquil, as if this exchange was nothing more than a small diversion.

Shadow Killer’s eyes beamed with killing intent. He vanished into thin air, causing Nie Yan’s attack to miss.

A brief moment later, Nie Yan felt a biting cold at the back of his neck. He’s fast!

Just as Nie Yan was about to react, he discovered his body was completely paralyzed. A dagger came stabbing towards the back of his head.

At this life-or-death moment, Nie Yan used Gale Step. He took advantage of its first three seconds of invincibility upon activation to nullify Shadow Killer’s attack.

Two seconds later, Nie Yan finally regained control of his body. He quickly pulled back to open up some distance. When he looked back, Shadow Killer had disappeared like a wisp of smoke.

Nie Yan swept his gaze over the surroundings. He could no longer detect the slightest trace of Shadow Killer’s presence.

Even though this was only their first exchange, Nie Yan still felt great pressure. It appeared Shadow Killer’s motto was to kill on the first strike, immediately retreating upon failure. He was an assassin through and through. Unlike many others who respected a set of unspoken rules, he would use any means, fair or foul, to achieve his goals. This was why so many people fell at his hands in the previous timeline.

Nie Yan broke out in a cold sweat. If it wasn’t for his quick use of Gale Step, he would’ve lost his life.

Nie Yan greatly envied this kind of position, an assassin who constantly tested his limits by targeting one expert after the next. But unfortunately, he would never be able to take on such a role because he was already the guild leader of Asskickers United.

Despite confirming that Shadow Killer had left, Nie Yan still remained vigilant. He had already been ambushed once. Who knew when Shadow Killer would show up again. Perhaps next time he wouldn’t be so lucky. Being targeted by such a player was no pleasant matter. I need to find a way to deal with him. His stealthing ability is too frightening!

Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the others were hunting down the remaining survivors from Bloodlust Blades. When they noticed Nie Yan had encountered trouble, they rushed over to him.

“Are you okay?” Bladelight asked. He had just seen a Thief stab Nie Yan in the back of the head. However, Nie Yan was unharmed. This left him a bit curious.

“Who was that Thief? He looked familiar,” Smoke Stub asked. As a professional player, how could he not know Shadow Killer’s appearance? It was just that the situation was too hectic, and he couldn’t get a good look.

“It was Shadow Killer!” Nie Yan replied. This was their first exchange. Even though it was brief, it was a wake-up call for him. If not for his quick reactions, by the time Smoke Stub, Bladelight, and the others arrived, he would’ve already become an ice-cold corpse. Not to mention Shadow Killer had used a crowd-control skill similar to Intimidate. He would definitely have to watch out for that the next time around.

“No wonder! So it was him!” Smoke Stub exclaimed in shock. He felt his blood run cold. Shadow Killer was definitely one of the most difficult professional players to deal with. He was a master at stealth. Once he took action, he would always be going in for the kill. If he didn’t succeed in one move, he would immediately retreat and await the next opportune moment to strike again. So long as you didn’t die, he would continue biding his time.

Just at this moment, Nie Yan received a message. It was from Shadow Killer!

「Not half-bad, but you won’t be so lucky next time.」

When Nie Yan wanted to reply, he discovered Shadow Killer had blocked off all communications.

Shadow Killer, huh... Nie Yan faintly smiled. It would be a good opportunity to hone his skills by duking it out with such a legendary figure. I won’t let you get away so easily next time!

With these two Thieves facing off against each other, one would inevitably end up on the floor!

Nie Yan withdrew from his daydreaming. He swept his gaze over the surroundings. Many players from Bloodlust Blades had died at their hands, while those that survived had long since fled away.

“Pick up whatever loot you can,” Nie Yan ordered. “We only have about a minute. Then we immediately set out for the south!”

「Forces from Bloodlust Blades are currently moving towards you from the north. Hurry up and escape before it’s too late!」Guo Huai frantically informed.

「Got it,」Nie Yan replied.