Chapter 104: The Star Palace Organization, Are You Afraid Now?

If Ye Aotian had possessed even a shred of confidence at the beginning, his attitude had now shifted entirely. The people surrounding him might not have been formidable in raw power, but each held a unique, specialized mechanism. It was clear they intended to launch a barrage of long-range attacks.

It had to be said that Fang Tai had learned from the lessons of many previous battles, which was why he had devised this specific plan: use long-range strikes to exhaust Ye Aotian, forcing him to expend the majority of his internal energy on defense. By the time the actual close-quarters combat began, Ye Aotian would already be battle-worn and likely unable to perform at his peak. In that scenario, defeat would be his only possible outcome.

Ye Aotian, of course, understood exactly what Fang Tai was planning.

"You bastards have certainly gone to great lengths to take me down," Ye Aotian sneered. "It seems I’ll have to teach you all a lesson today."

Though a seed of doubt had taken root in his mind, he could not afford to let his morale flag. He glanced at John, who stood nearby. "What do we do? Can you summon anyone to support us?"

Ye Aotian recalled that the Star Palace organization’s Shadow Guards were likely still in the area. They had originally come to find the missing Luo Shanhe and his group, but they could be put to good use in this fight. He was not about to let such an opportunity slip by.

John nodded. "I have already sent the signal. I only hope they reach the battlefield quickly; otherwise, we are in grave danger."

Even John could see that this battle was far from simple. He stepped forward decisively. "Young Master, when the fighting starts, I will do my best to hold them off. You must find a way to leave this place."

John was confident in his own abilities. If it came to a fight, he believed he could control the situation long enough to get Ye Aotian out safely. The enemies’ primary objective was Ye Aotian; if he escaped, their efforts would be rendered meaningless, and John would have fulfilled his duty.

Ye Aotian snorted angrily. "This is merely a tiny city like Jiangcheng. I have fought in countless wars across the north and east; what have I not seen? If I were to flee because of a petty situation like this, I would be a laughingstock."

The more he spoke, the more frustrated he became. Given his status, why should he have to consider such things? He was, after all, the God of War, invincible on the border.

John continued, "Young Master, your survival is paramount. If anything were to happen to you, I would have no way to answer to the Old Master. Furthermore, the enemy is clearly well-prepared. Escaping this ambush would be the ultimate form of retaliation against their plot."

Whether Ye Aotian truly listened remained unclear, for at that moment, Fang Tai waved his hand. "Enough talk with these people. The boss was very clear: whoever heavily wounds Ye Aotian will be handsomely rewarded. Don't hesitate—attack!"

Both John and Ye Aotian knew they were in a precarious position, yet they still harbored a sliver of confidence in their own strength, believing they could at least retreat unscathed if they couldn't win. But as the fighting commenced, they realized just how naive they had been.

The masked men surrounding them unleashed a volley of needle-tipped crossbow bolts. Had they been ordinary arrows, Ye Aotian would not have worried, as his internal energy would have easily deflected them. However, these needles were sinister; due to their small size, they traveled with blistering speed and possessed immense penetrating power. Even the protective barrier of energy Ye Aotian projected around his body failed to stop them. Within moments, several had pierced his defenses and struck his body.

"Ugh!" Ye Aotian, caught in the midst of channeling his energy, coughed up a spray of blood.

"Damnable wretches! To use such underhanded tactics... it seems they know me well and have prepared specifically for me." Ye Aotian clenched his fists, staring at the masked men through gritted teeth. No matter how confident he had been before, he now realized they had been planning this for a long time—they had come today with the sole intent of killing him.

John’s expression darkened. He had intended to assist Ye Aotian, but the masked men shifted their focus to suppress him. Simultaneously, five individuals standing near Fang Tai closed in, surrounding Ye Aotian.

"So, you’re the one they call Ye Aotian?"

Ye Aotian frowned as he looked at the five men. "I am Ye Aotian, indeed. What is it you want?"

He took a deep breath, forcing down his roiling blood, and looked up at the five. "You don't actually think you can defeat me just because you have the numbers, do you?"

Luo Shanhe was somewhat surprised upon seeing Ye Aotian. It was no wonder this man had become such a formidable enemy to their Young Master. Not only was he powerful, but he also had a master-level fighter by his side. Most chilling, however, was the man’s talent for mimicry. He had mimicked the Young Master’s daily mannerisms so perfectly that if Luo Shanhe hadn't met with the real Young Master earlier, he might have truly believed this was the genuine article.

"Ye Aotian, I don't care how capable you were before," Luo Shanhe said. "I’ll tell you this: the five of us are from the Star Palace organization. You should know what that means. So, losing to us is nothing to be ashamed of."

Hearing that they were from the Star Palace, Ye Aotian’s eyes widened in disbelief. *Could these be Luo Shanhe and the others who were supposed to meet with me?* A wave of relief washed over him; this was a classic case of mistaken identity. He immediately moved to explain.

"You idiots! I am the real Ye Aotian! You’ve been deceived by that scoundrel Lin Li—he is the one masquerading as me!"

The Electric Guardian beside Luo Shanhe nodded. "Big Brother, the Young Master was right. The moment this kid saw us, he tried to confuse our identities."

Luo Shanhe wore a look of sagacious wisdom. "Hmph, this fellow truly underestimates me. Does he really think I could be fooled by such a petty trick? Attack! Do not give him any chance to retaliate."

Ye Aotian tried to speak again, but the men gave him no further opportunity.