Chapter 48: The Backlash of Pretentiousness

"Heartless" Du Sha frowned. "It is strange, Chopstick Hero. Every time you perform your so-called acts of chivalry, you only kill; you never take money. It’s too bizarre. Before killing someone, why not ask for their bank card password? Then, you could transfer the money at lightning speed. If you're worried about the bank tracking the destination, you could set up a money-laundering account. These days, there are plenty of people in that business."

"In this era, money is justice. Money is the ultimate truth."

"Without money, you can't even take a single step."

For some reason, Du Sha felt talkative. "These days, practicing martial arts requires so many medicinal herbs. Yet, those greedy merchants have driven the prices of things like wild ginseng up to the sky."

"I kill to uphold chivalry. If I were to rob for wealth, it wouldn't be chivalry anymore; it would just be greed—killing to steal." Shen Ye shook his head. "A hero must have his own code."

"A hero, ha! In the martial arts world today, a hero like you who still follows such ancient rules is becoming increasingly rare." Du Sha tapped his own brow with a finger. "It’s a pity that a true hero like you is going to die by my hands. Do you know how many reasons there are for your inevitable failure?"

Qin Zhengtian shouted from the side, "Stop with the nonsense! I paid three hundred million—kill the Chopstick Demon immediately!"

"Bang!"

Qin Zhengtian’s man was sent flying, landing on the floor with a thud.

Du Sha retracted his right middle finger and said coldly, "Qin Zhengtian, I accepted your check to kill the Chopstick Demon, but I never gave you the right to speak."

Qin Zhengtian was not severely injured; Du Sha had only flicked him casually, as he hadn't fully paid yet. However, Qin Zhengtian looked deeply distressed. Coming from a wealthy and powerful family, his life had always been smooth sailing, and he had never suffered such an insult. But he was a man who knew when to yield, so he kept his mouth shut.

Only then did Du Sha turn his gaze back to Shen Ye. "First, your battle with the Thunder Dharma King, Yang Feikuang, showed that you only possess the strength of a four-bag rank. My strength reached the peak of the five-bag rank long ago. The gap between four and five bags is immense."

"Second, I have studied all your dossiers, starting from when you first debuted by killing that small-time thug, Ma Guosheng." To a man as heartless as Du Sha, someone like Ma Guosheng was truly just a small-time thug. "Then, you killed Lu Youwei, the human trafficker Li Jinguo and his gang, Lu the Beggar, Qin Yan, and the Thunder Dharma King, Yang Feikuang."

"After reviewing your background, I’ve reached a conclusion: you don't understand martial arts at all. In every battle, you rely solely on your overwhelming raw strength to pummel your opponents. Your speed isn't particularly outstanding, even if it is far beyond that of a normal person."

"You have never taken a master; you aren't an orthodox martial artist and know no techniques. As for me, they call me 'Heartless.' I am a killer. I have mastered twenty-three assassination arts. That might not sound like many, but each one is terrifyingly effective."

"Someone like you, who knows nothing of martial arts, is simply no match for me."

"Third, I have watched every one of your fights and know your combat style. Yet, you know nothing about me."

Du Sha shook his head. "Fourth, before you rushed up here, you must have exhausted a great deal of stamina facing the hundred security guards on the first floor. Afterward, the traps of the Luban Sect surely drained you further. That pair of gays, Yang Long and Yin Feng, may be disgusting, but they aren't weak. They would have depleted you even more. Of your full strength, how much do you have left? Fifty percent? Forty? Thirty?"

"Meanwhile, I have been here, adjusting my state, biding my time."

"Considering these four points, how could you possibly win?"

"Heartless" Du Sha sneered.

Du Sha was a killer. Killers, naturally, were not prone to chatter. He had spoken so much today to use his words to weave a trap. He wanted to instill fear into the Chopstick Hero’s heart. Once fear took hold, flaws would appear. Then, Du Sha could use whichever of his twenty-three assassination arts was most suited to the situation to finish him off cleanly.

Du Sha had once faced a novice named Zhao He. The boy had immense potential but was too green. Du Sha had used verbal traps to shake his confidence, then seized the opportunity to strike him down like a leopard catching prey. After finishing his monologue, Du Sha watched Shen Ye closely, waiting for him to falter.

But—

"Are you done with the nonsense?" Shen Ye said coolly.

"Nonsense?" Du Sha was stunned.

"Yes, nonsense. If you're done, then go to hell!" Shen Ye let out a low roar.

He stepped forward with his left foot and pulled his right leg back. Then, he let out a roar like a tiger. The muscles in his legs erupted with power. He surged forward!

His speed was astonishing—even faster than when Shen Ye usually utilized his 3.9 Agility stat! He was fast as a gale! At such close range, he did something that should have been impossible: he gathered energy while in a dead sprint.

Normally, one cannot gather force while sprinting, as it requires stillness. But the skills granted by the system sometimes defy common sense. The muscles in his right arm bulged visibly. He formed his hand into a cannon punch, striking forward like a massive hammer.

This was a true "Mighty Blow." Under such overwhelming force, gods would be slain, and Buddhas would be shattered. Shen Ye was sick of Du Sha acting as if everything were within his calculations, so he didn't hold back. He unleashed his ultimate technique—a skill that could only be used once every five minutes—to face him head-on. *Let’s see you try to act all smug now!*

Du Sha was shocked. He had used these verbal traps on martial arts newcomers dozens of times, and most of the time, they succeeded. Even if they didn't, the opponent would usually wait defensively. But this damn Chopstick Demon was reckless. Not only was his resolve unshaken by the verbal trap, but he had also launched the most ferocious, violent strike imaginable.

Du Sha could even see that as the Chopstick Demon charged, his speed was so immense that a column of white mist rose behind him. Du Sha had once seen a tiger in the mountains—the strongest predator on land—sprint at its top speed, creating a pillar of white mist behind it. It was terrifying. Now, this Chopstick Demon’s attack felt just like that—fearsome and shocking!

*How is this possible?* A tiger’s strength was ten times that of a human, and its speed was immeasurable.

In the face of such a rapid attack, Du Sha knew he could not dodge; the opponent's locking speed was too fast. Drawing his weapon would be too slow. He only had time to raise his left hand to parry. He knew that if he used both hands, both would be shattered, and the fight would be over. By using only his left hand, he would sacrifice only one, leaving his right hand free to continue the battle.

In that moment, Du Sha deeply understood one phrase: "Arrogance leads to one's own undoing."