Chapter 880
Adolf aimed the rapier at Shen Lang's neck and smiled.
"This rapier was forged from Queen Eda's greatsword. If I were to slit your throat with it, crimson blood would spurt like a fountain. We shall see then if your face is still as heart-stirringly handsome as it is now."
"You're going to kill me?"
Adolf laughed and retorted.
"Yes. Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
"You shouldn't."
"Please, elaborate."
"Let's not get into that first. Your voice carries quite far, so I heard what you said earlier. Didn't you say that if Eda so much as harmed a single hair on your head, you would immediately admit defeat and withdraw?"
"Indeed, you heard me quite clearly."
"Truly incredible, and so powerful. Hela and Eda are both masters of the highest caliber, yet even united they could not harm a single hair on your head. You are so strong it's chilling. Incomprehensibly profound."
"It is difficult for ordinary, worldly people to comprehend such a realm."
"In that case, why don't we make a wager as well?"
"Speak."
"What do you think of my martial arts?"
Adolf shrugged. Could Shen Lang's level of martial arts be described with a word as simple as 'disgraceful'? The word 'disgraceful' was insufficient; even the saying 'too weak to wring a chicken's neck' fell short. Some chickens were formidable fighters, after all; Shen Lang might even be overpowered by one.
"Then what if I were to injure you? Would you consider that your loss?"
At Shen Lang's proposal, not only Adolf but also Hela and Queen Eda were completely stunned, unable to believe what they had just heard. Was Shen Lang truly mad? Adolf's martial prowess was simply unfathomable. How strong was Queen Eda? And how strong was Hela? Even the two of them combined couldn't harm a single hair on his head; the recent saltpeter dust explosion had only managed to singe the hem of his clothes. Yet Shen Lang was at a level where he couldn't even injure a child who had just begun to learn martial arts. Even if Shen Lang were ten thousand, or a hundred million times stronger than he was now, he still wouldn't be able to touch a single hair on Adolf's head.
"Your Majesty, does my brother always boast like this?"
Hela asked, and Queen Eda replied.
"I do not know him well."
"You don't know him well, yet you waited for him here, prepared to bear his children?"
"Is there a rule against it if I don't know him well?"
Hela nodded and said.
"There isn't. Of course, there isn't. Knowing someone too well can be rather dull. My mother didn't know my father well, but that never stopped her from loving and waiting for him her entire life."
"But your brother certainly seems to enjoy boasting."
"I see it that way, too. He seems like a complete madman."
"And yet, every boast he's ever made has come true."
***
Adolf said with a laugh.
"Hahaha! Lord Shen Lang, I know you have a few secret weapons. For example, that strange neurotoxin that can freeze a person in an instant? But that is of no use against me."
"I know. You are suffocatingly powerful. If that's truly the case, why not make a bet with me? If I injure you, it's your loss. How about it?"
"Fine! I'll gladly play along. Shen Lang from the Eastern world, if you lose, don't blame me for taking your Queen Eda. My moral standards are likely far lower than you imagine. When I desire a woman, I will stop at nothing to have her."
"And if I win?"
"If you win, what do you want?"
"From now on, wherever I am, you must always retreat a hundred meters. To put it elegantly, it's called 'giving way by ninety li'. To put it bluntly, wherever I am, you cannot be."
"Your words are as smooth as ever."
"What say you? Do we have a bet?"
"Fine! We do."
Adolf's reply and his gaze were filled with utter arrogance and ridicule. Was Shen Lang insane? Right now, he certainly seemed like a madman. He had once again challenged an impossible task. No words could describe just how insane and nonsensical Shen Lang's wager was. The poisons of Mount Budao would have no effect on this man, and it was likely no other method would work on him either.
"Then shall we proceed with our bet on Saltpeter Island?"
A moment later, Shen Lang landed on Saltpeter Island. Adolf had moved from the boat to the island in just a few seconds.
"Ugh..."
Shen Lang retched. Adolf had steered the boat too fast. Hela and Queen Eda exchanged glances.
*'Is that your brother?'*
*'Is that truly the man you've chosen to bear children with?'*
Shen Lang tapped his forehead a few times, then half-squatted and dry-heaved several more times.
"Is there any water? I'd like a couple of sips. I'm feeling nauseous. His speed was too much; I need a moment to prepare."
A moment later, a water canteen appeared before Shen Lang. After a few sips, the nausea began to subside.
"Whew, whew. Sorry to keep you waiting. We can begin now. Is this distance acceptable?"
Shen Lang stood about five meters away from Adolf. Just moments ago, Queen Eda had been within a meter of Adolf and still failed to harm a single hair on his head, even with her sword moving at its absolute limit.
Adolf said with a smile.
"Of course, everything as you wish."
As soon as Adolf finished speaking, Shen Lang took out a throwing knife. Princess Hela nearly fainted. She had thought Shen Lang had some secret weapon prepared, but it was just a throwing knife.
*'My dear brother, I doubt you could hit a large, living person even if they were tied up and unable to move. And you think you can hit an enigmatic and unfathomable master like Adolf?'*
Shen Lang took a deep breath, raised the throwing knife, and aimed at Adolf. Adolf was already starting to regret it.
*'Why did I accept this wager? This is so absurd it feels like a bad joke.'*
"Alright, I'm throwing the knife now. Five, four, three, two, one."
Shen Lang threw the knife. It flew crookedly, failing to hit Adolf who was only five meters away. It was utterly humiliating. His 'Little Lang's Flying Dagger' was simply atrocious.
But at the same time, a loud *bang* rang out. Shen Lang, who had hidden an old-fashioned pistol up his sleeve, had pulled the trigger.
*Whoosh.*
The bullet shot out at a speed of over two hundred meters per second. What a cunning trick! But Adolf sneered.
*'Does he think such a trick will work? How utterly laughable.'*
He had long since noticed the piece of metal Shen Lang had hidden in his sleeve. In such a situation, could Shen Lang's pistol injure Adolf? No, it was impossible. Not an old-fashioned pistol, not even a modern pistol or a modern rifle could harm Adolf. First, his teleportation-like speed was too fast, and second, a master of his caliber could anticipate an enemy's attack in advance. The moment Shen Lang even began to pull the trigger, he would have already moved. So, not from five meters, but even from two meters away, Shen Lang couldn't have injured him with a pistol.
However, regardless of whether he could dodge it, Adolf was momentarily stunned when he saw the iron bullet shoot out from Shen Lang's pistol.
*'What is this? Why is it so fast?'*
Despite being shocked by its power, Adolf had already moved to dodge before the bullet was even fired. But in that instant, something truly bizarre happened. Adolf suddenly felt his body tremble violently, and every nerve seemed to seize up, rendering him completely immobile. Although it was a very, very brief moment, not even a tenth of a second.
*Whoosh.*
He flickered again, teleporting more than ten meters away. But the pistol's bullet had grazed his face, leaving a line of blood. This was certainly more significant than harming a single hair.
"Lord Adolf, you have lost."
Shen Lang said with a smile. Adolf stared at Shen Lang, his face a mask of disbelief at what had just happened. Queen Eda and Hela also couldn't believe the scene.
*'How is this possible? What just happened?'*
Shen Lang's secret weapon was surprising, but it wasn't fast enough to have possibly injured Adolf. Yet, at the crucial moment, Adolf's body had momentarily frozen. Regardless, Shen Lang had unequivocally won. He had once again accomplished a seemingly impossible task, injuring the overwhelmingly powerful Adolf.
"Lord Adolf, if my guess is correct, you carry a special Nightmare Stone on your person, which provides you with immense energy. Your teleportation-like movements are made possible by the energy supplied by that Nightmare Stone, and of course, your ancient arts. You are very, very strong, but not so strong as to make one despair, nor so strong that Eda and Hela combined couldn't injure you at all.
In terms of pure martial arts, you are likely on the same level as Queen Eda. Your mastery of ancient arts gives you a slight edge. Your seemingly unfathomable movements mostly originate from that ancient Nightmare Stone. I happen to have a Nightmare Stone as well, which allowed me to momentarily disrupt yours, causing you to freeze for that split second. My Nightmare Stone emitted a jolt of current that struck your entire body. This is the power of intellect. It is this intellect that gives me the right to gauge Queen Eda's depths."
Adolf stared at Shen Lang for a long while, then suddenly smiled. The next moment, he flickered and appeared behind Shen Lang, pressing the rapier against his carotid artery. Adolf sneered.
"Lord Shen Lang, you know too much. People who know too much must die."
At Adolf's words, Queen Eda and Hela instantly shot forward to strike him down.
"I told you before that you cannot kill me. Lord Adolf Veda. My dear senior brother, the disciple my father, Jiang Li, took in the Western world!"