Starting to Gain Experience from Push-Ups Chapter 1279 - 621

A thick fog drifts through the forest, resembling a vast, advancing ocean.

A sharp, metallic scent of blood permeates the air, carried by the damp mist.

"Bang!"

The heavy impact of flesh against earth echoes in the gloom.

Ma Donghe, like a discarded sandbag, crashes onto the leaf-strewn, muddy ground.

His right leg lies at an unnatural angle, the bone stark white and pushing through the camouflage fabric, exposed to the chilling, humid air.

"Cough... Damnation!"

Ma Donghe forces his upper body up, expelling a spray of crimson, frothy blood.

His eyes, wide like copper bells, fix on his adversary ahead, blazing with an unyielding defiance.

Less than two meters away, Hou Peng kneels on a single knee, his left hand tightly pressed against his wounded right shoulder.

A jagged weapon has impaled him, and blood ceaselessly seeps through his grasp, dyeing half his body a deep red.

Hou Peng's chest heaves raggedly, his prominent ears quiver as if searching for an escape route, and his eyes are filled with unconcealed dread.

Standing before them now is a towering figure.

Clad in a long, black trench coat, its meticulously tailored hem dances with the nocturnal breeze.

A cascade of silver-white hair, unbound and wild, flows over his shoulders, rustling in the wind.

His face is concealed by an enigmatic bronze mask, its surface etched with complex, spiraling designs.

Only a pair of remarkably luminous eyes are visible, radiating an indifference that dismisses all living beings as insignificant as ants.

Directly behind this silver-haired masked figure, Grey Eagle clutches a crudely obtained assault rifle, its barrel pointed menacingly at Ma Donghe on the ground.

"Old Ma, stop being so stubborn. If you don't spill the truth, I'll put a bullet hole right through your skull this instant!"

Grey Eagle shouts venomously at Ma Donghe, then contorts his face into a fawning expression as he glances towards the masked man:

"Our Lord deigns to question you; it is an immense honor. What is the background of that brat Fang Cheng?"

"What kind of Boundary-breaking Magical Artifact does he possess that allows him to bypass radiation energy and traverse the spatial barrier directly?"

Grey Eagle, who moments ago was paralyzed by fear, now acts like a zealous guard dog, puffed up with arrogance.

Ma Donghe manages a grin, his mouth awash with blood, revealing a chilling smile:

"Boundary-breaking Magical Artifact? Go to hell, you traitor!"

"A spineless cur like you, begging Ah Cheng for mercy just earlier, where was that bravado then? Now you've found a new master and are yapping away?"

"Hahahaha— I refuse to tell you. What can you possibly do about it?"

After unleashing his vitriol, Ma Donghe emits a ragged laugh.

However, the exertion of laughing too heartily intensifies the pain from his fractured leg, causing his features to contort in agony.

Grey Eagle, stung by the insult, his face flushes a deep purple-red, his facial muscles spasming slightly.

His gaze sharpens with malice, and he abruptly raises the rifle, intending to bring the butt down on Ma Donghe's head.

"Stand down."

A metallic voice emanates from beneath the bronze mask.

This voice, filtered through a modulator, is raspy yet carries an overwhelming aura of authority.

Grey Eagle flinches violently at the sound, his raised rifle butt freezing mid-swing.

"Y-yes, my Lord."

He immediately lowers his weapon, bowing his head and retreating to the masked man's rear, barely daring to inhale, behaving like a completely subservient attendant.

For the individual before him is none other than the mastermind who orchestrated Grey Eagle and the others' infiltration of the examination grounds, all in pursuit of the relic's entrance.

The masked man pays no mind to Grey Eagle's abject display.

He advances slowly, his heavy military boots crunching audibly on the decaying leaves underfoot.

Pausing directly before Ma Donghe, the masked man peers down at the man struggling to maintain his footing.

"You possess considerable resilience."

The masked man's tone carries no trace of anger, only the detached coldness of a predator assessing its quarry:

"However, in the face of absolute power, resilient bones will only prolong your suffering in death, offering no advantage."

As he speaks, the masked man lifts his gloved right hand, smoothing an invisible crease on his trench coat sleeve, his unwavering gaze fixed upon Ma Donghe:

"I shall ask one final time. What is his name, and to which esteemed family or organization within Xia Country does he belong?"

"Is he in possession of the Special Search Team's cutting-edge high-dimensional source energy anchor device, or perhaps an ancient artifact procured from the Black Market?"

Just as the masked man concludes his interrogation, Ma Donghe suddenly straightens his posture.

His large head thrusts forward, a thick, guttural sound rumbling in his throat.

He then forcefully spits a gob of bloody saliva directly towards the masked man.

The projectile fails to reach its target; the masked man inclines his head slightly, effortlessly evading the spittle.

The surrounding atmosphere seems to plunge instantaneously to sub-zero temperatures.

Observing this defiant act, Grey Eagle's eyes involuntarily twitch.

Despite his contempt for the crude man, he cannot help but feel a grudging admiration for his sheer audacity.

The masked man remains motionless for a few seconds, slowly clenching the fingers of his suspended hand.

A faint, muffled sound of leather stretching emanates from his gloves.

His fist tightens, appearing poised to reprimand the impudent individual who dared to provoke him.

"Hold on!"

Hou Peng flinches, stifling the intense ache in his shoulder as he rushes to interject:

"Sir, we truly aren't lying. We genuinely have no knowledge of Fang Cheng's origins!"

The masked figure casts a look at Hou Peng, his gaze shifting away, devoid of any warmth.

Hou Peng gulps, quickly elaborating:

"We've only known Fang Cheng for slightly more than two days. We're merely a temporary team formed for the Special Search Team's assessment."