I dominated the game from the start with cards.

Bound by specially made ropes, Wang She and Chen Hu slumped helplessly to the ground. A faint smell of blood mingled with the sweet scent of ointment, creating an eerie atmosphere. Sister Wu carefully treated Mu Yang's wounds, letting out a soft sigh. "Alright, you need to rest these next few days to prevent infection." Mu Yang nodded, looking gratefully at Sister Wu, then turning his gaze to Li Xuan, his eyes filled with trust. "Thanks to you, Li Xuan." Li Xuan smiled faintly, patting Mu Yang's shoulder. "We're teammates, we should support each other." His gaze didn't linger on Mu Yang for long, instead turning to the subdued Wang She and Chen Hu, a strange unease creeping into his heart. Although the immediate crisis was resolved, the two had appeared too abruptly. What was their purpose? Was there a larger conspiracy hidden behind this? He crouched down, carefully observing the two. Wang She's face was filled with resentment and bitterness, while Chen Hu's head was bowed, his expression unreadable. Suddenly, Li Xuan's gaze fell on Wang She's collar, an inconspicuous mark catching his attention. It was a pattern resembling a tiger's claw, the black lines appearing particularly ferocious in the dim light. This pattern… this pattern… A chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and Li Xuan's breathing quickened. This mark was strikingly similar to Zhao Hu's mark in his memory! Zhao Hu, the accomplice who destroyed his sect! Could it be… He abruptly reached out and roughly pulled open Chen Hu's collar; the same mark was clearly visible on her neck! Li Xuan's pupils contracted sharply, as if frozen solid. A surge of anger burned fiercely in his chest, almost consuming him. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and the doubts in his heart grew wildly like vines. Zhao Hu, he was involved too! What on earth was going on? Old Zhou noticed Li Xuan's unusual behavior and stepped forward, asking, "What's wrong, Li Xuan? Did you find anything?" Li Xuan took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, and pointed to the marks on the two men's necks, his voice low and hoarse, "These are Zhao Hu's marks. They're in cahoots with Zhao Hu!" Old Zhou and Mu Yang's expressions changed upon hearing this. They hadn't expected that things would involve Zhao Hu. Sister Wu also stopped what she was doing, looking at Li Xuan with worry. Just then, a burst of arrogant laughter broke the tense atmosphere. "Hahaha, I didn't expect you to find out!" Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zhao Hu leading a group of his men, swaggering over. He looked at Li Xuan and the others with disdain, "You think you can rest easy like this? You're too naive!" Zhao Hu's gaze fell on the bound Wang She and Chen Hu, a sinister glint in his eyes, "These two pieces of trash, you caught them so quickly." He waved his hand, and his men immediately dispersed, surrounding Li Xuan and the others.

Zhao Hu's gaze was fixed on Li Xuan, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Li Xuan, it's time to settle our score!" He slowly raised his right hand, making an attack gesture… Li Xuan's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swept over Zhao Hu and his henchmen, a storm raging within him. Zhao Hu's appearance was no accident; judging from the marks on Wang She and Chen Hu, this was clearly a pre-arranged scheme. A chill crept up his spine, and Li Xuan's mental perception suddenly triggered a warning, a strong sense of crisis enveloping him. He closed his eyes, concentrating his mind, every subtle change in his surroundings clearly appearing in his mind. Ambush! Li Xuan abruptly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in his pupils. In his mental perception, he clearly "saw" the enemies lurking in the shadows, hidden like venomous snakes in every corner, waiting for their chance to strike. He took a deep breath, subtly approaching Mu Yang and Old Zhou, and whispered, "Be careful, there are ambushes around. They have far more people than we see." Mu Yang and Old Zhou's expressions changed upon hearing this. They had unwavering faith in Li Xuan's abilities and immediately became vigilant, their eyes scanning their surroundings warily. "Hahaha, Li Xuan, do you think you can fool me with such a small trick?" Zhao Hu laughed wildly, seemingly seeing through Li Xuan's intentions. "Attack!" As soon as he finished speaking, the enemies lurking in the shadows surged out like a tide, brandishing their weapons and rushing towards Li Xuan and his companions. Mu Yang and Old Zhou reacted swiftly, immediately meeting their attack. Mu Yang was agile, displaying his close-combat skills to the fullest, his punches and kicks swift and deadly. Old Zhou, on the other hand, possessed profound skill, his every move carrying a powerful aura, forcing the enemies to retreat steadily. However, Zhao Hu's men, numerous and powerful, clung to him like leeches, gradually surrounding Mu Yang and Old Zhou. Li Xuan, meanwhile, dodged enemy attacks while searching for a breakthrough. He knew that a head-on confrontation was unwise; he needed to find a crucial point to turn the tide. The battle intensified, swords flashing, shouts of battle deafening. Li Xuan nimbly weaved through the crowd, using his mental perception to anticipate enemy attacks, repeatedly escaping danger. The dagger in his hand was like a viper's tongue, each strike precise and deadly. Zhao Hu stood by, coldly observing the melee, a sinister smile playing on his lips. He seemed in no hurry to act, as if victory was assured. Suddenly, Li Xuan sensed a powerful killing intent coming from behind. He whirled around, barely dodging a fatal attack. His attacker was a burly man wielding a massive battle axe with tremendous force. Li Xuan dared not be careless and immediately engaged the burly man in combat. The man's strength was astonishing; each swing of his battle axe created a whistling sound, forcing Li Xuan to retreat step by step. Just then, a muffled groan rang out. Li Xuan's heart sank, and he whirled around to see Mu Yang attacked from behind, blood instantly staining his clothes. He gritted his teeth and persevered, but did not fall. "Mu Yang!" Li Xuan shouted, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes. Seeing this, Zhao Hu's smile deepened. "It seems the battle is over." He slowly raised his right hand, pointing at Li Xuan, "Finish him off." Mu Yang groaned and staggered, but he gritted his teeth and did not fall. Crimson blood flowed down his back, staining his clothes and the scorched earth beneath his feet. He gripped his weapon even tighter, his eyes filled with determination, seemingly oblivious to the pain, continuing to fight his enemy. Li Xuan's heart clenched, a surge of anger burning in his chest. He fought off the enemies before him, trying to reach Mu Yang, but was relentlessly pursued by the surging tide of foes. "Mu Yang, hold on!" Li Xuan roared, his voice hoarse. His mental perception was at its peak, frantically searching for a way out. He had to finish off the enemies quickly to help Mu Yang. Mu Yang's breathing grew increasingly rapid, and his movements became sluggish. He knew he was about to collapse, but he couldn't fall; he had to buy time for Li Xuan. With his last ounce of strength, he fought off the remaining enemies, then leaned against a crumbling wall, gasping for breath. Zhao Hu looked at the swaying Mu Yang, a cruel smile on his face. "Looks like your companion is about to give up too, Li Xuan. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?" Li Xuan's eyes were bloodshot; he felt he was being driven to the brink. Just then, shouts of battle erupted in the distance, and a group of people rushed out of the ruins, led by Sister Wu. "Old Zhou sent us to help!" Sister Wu shouted, followed by a group of people. They were all people Old Zhou had saved before, and now they had come to repay his kindness. The arrival of this group instantly turned the tide of the battle. Although they were not as strong as Zhao Hu's men, they had the advantage of numbers, and each of them was determined to die, fighting fearlessly. Zhao Hu's men were already somewhat exhausted, and now they were attacked from both sides, and their formation immediately fell apart. When Li Xuan saw Sister Wu and the others appear, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart. He took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and began to analyze the current situation. He noticed that although Zhao Hu was powerful, his left leg seemed to be lame, making it difficult for him to move. This was his weakness! "Concentrate your attacks on Zhao Hu's left leg!" Li Xuan shouted. Sister Wu and the others immediately understood Li Xuan's intention. They stopped fighting and attacked Zhao Hu's left leg. Mu Yang also forced himself to join the battle. Zhao Hu's left leg was already injured, and now that it had become the target of everyone's attacks, it was even worse. His initial arrogance gradually vanished, replaced by panic and fear. Seeing their leader's defeat, his men also began to panic, their fighting strength plummeting. Ultimately, Zhao Hu was outnumbered and forced into a retreat. Seeing that all was lost, he glared fiercely at Li Xuan, "You just wait! The people behind me won't let you get away with this!" With that, he turned and fled into the ruins. Li Xuan watched Zhao Hu's retreating figure, feeling no relief, but rather a heavier heart. What exactly was the force behind Zhao Hu? What kind of threat would they pose? He walked to Mu Yang's side, supporting his weakened body, "We...let's get out of here first." Sister Wu quickly arranged for people to help the injured Mu Yang to a relatively safe corner of the ruins. Sister Wu skillfully treated his wounds, stopping the bleeding and bandaging them. Li Xuan stood to the side, his brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on the direction Zhao Hu had disappeared in. Zhao Hu's harsh words echoed in his ears, like a thorn piercing his heart. "Li Xuan, don't worry, Mu Yang's injuries aren't serious," Sister Wu comforted him softly, understanding Li Xuan's concerns. Li Xuan nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. He knew this wasn't the time to panic; he needed to quickly ascertain the power behind Zhao Hu to protect himself and his companions.

"Thanks to your timely arrival this time."

Li Xuan turned to the crowd behind Sister Wu and sincerely thanked them. "Mr. Li, you're too kind. Old Zhou has been kind to us; we're just repaying him," a burly man at the head of the group said with a simple, honest smile. Li Xuan nodded gratefully. He knew that in this cruel apocalypse, trust and help between people were especially precious. After a short rest, Li Xuan gathered everyone together and began to analyze the current situation. He told everyone about Zhao Hu's weakness—his limp left leg—and the harsh words he uttered before fleeing, reminding them to be vigilant and prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. "There must be a powerful force behind Zhao Hu. We must find out about this force as soon as possible to avoid being put on the defensive again," Li Xuan said in a deep voice. "Li Xuan is right. We can't let our guard down," Mu Yang said firmly, though his face was pale. Everyone nodded in agreement. They all understood that in this dog-eat-dog world of infinite flow, only by constantly improving their strength could they survive. Li Xuan surveyed the crowd, his eyes filled with determination. "From now on, we must redouble our efforts to improve our strength, and at the same time, gather intelligence on the forces behind Zhao Hu." The crowd nodded again, their eyes shining with unwavering resolve. They believed that as long as they were united, they could overcome all difficulties. Night fell, and the ruins fell silent. Li Xuan and Mu Yang sat side by side around a campfire, silently watching the flickering flames. After a fierce battle, both felt exhausted. "Li Xuan, do you think the person behind Zhao Hu might be…" Mu Yang hesitated, his eyes filled with worry. Li Xuan shook his head. "It's too early to say. We need more clues." Suddenly, a soft rustling sound broke the stillness of the night. Li Xuan and Mu Yang simultaneously looked up alertly, their eyes scanning their surroundings. "What's that sound?" Mu Yang whispered. Li Xuan pricked up his ears, listening intently to the sounds around him. The rustling sound grew closer, as if someone was stealthily approaching. Li Xuan gripped his weapon tightly, a cold glint in his eyes. He whispered to Mu Yang, "Someone's coming..." He slowly stood up, his gaze fixed on the direction from which the voice came.