Infinity, The Arcade Age

"It's you!"

A low growl escaped from Scorn's lips, his face twisted with rage, one eye now blinded.

Hearing his roar, Qin Ming, standing in the middle of the road, finally looked up and calmly cocked the hammer of his revolver.

"Yes, it's me."

"You dare show your face in front of me again!"

"If you were in peak condition, I'd probably think twice. But now, in the state you're in? Why wouldn't I dare?"

Spinning the revolver in his hand with a smirk, Qin Ming's eyes locked onto Scorn and the two elite guards standing beside him. His grin widened, radiating confidence.

"You know, I'm actually a pretty cautious guy. I never fight a battle unless I'm sure I can win, or I know I have a guaranteed escape route. So, tell me, which one do you think it is this time?"

Scorn's face twitched at Qin Ming's taunt. He suddenly raised his weapon, pointing directly at Qin Ming, and roared,

"Kill him! Now!"

At his command, the two heavily armored knights charged forward, but as they saw Qin Ming's revolver pointed at them, they hesitated and came to an abrupt stop. They had already witnessed its devastating power—Scorn's lieutenant, Lance, had been gunned down in an instant, and they knew they'd fare no better.

Seeing them freeze, Qin Ming maintained his aim and coldly flicked the barrel to the side.

"This doesn't concern you. Leave."

"You—"

"Or you can die alongside him. I don't mind killing two more."

At the chilling tone of Qin Ming's voice, the two knights exchanged uneasy glances.

Given the situation, it was clear that Scorn had lost his grip on power. Most of his soldiers were dead, and his own survival was uncertain. Besides, what was a lord without soldiers or territory?

Loyalty, once rooted in fear of Scorn's brutality and strength, wavered now that his downfall seemed inevitable.

After a brief exchange of looks, the two knights nodded to each other, tossed their weapons aside, and fled into the nearby forest without looking back, ignoring Scorn's enraged screams and curses.

Qin Ming couldn't help but smile as he watched them run off.

"Alright, now that the distractions are gone, didn't you want a fair duel? Well, here's your chance!"

As he spoke, Qin Ming gripped his revolver with both hands, one eye closed as he carefully aimed at Scorn.

Roaring in fury, Scorn hefted his silver poleaxe and charged at him with reckless abandon.

But he had barely taken a few steps when the sharp crack of a gunshot rang out.

The first bullet struck his shoulder, making him stagger.

The second hit his abdomen, piercing his armor and sending a spray of blood from his back.

The third slammed into his knee, causing Scorn to collapse onto one knee, nearly falling to the ground.

And then came the fourth, fifth, and sixth bullets, all aimed squarely at his head.

Each shot hit its mark. His visor shattered, blood spurting from inside as multiple wounds reopened.

Having already been weakened from the earlier ambush, with one eye blinded, and then wounded further by the hero Parsival's forces, Scorn was now a shadow of his former strength.

Now, at close range, he was utterly defenseless against Qin Ming's barrage of bullets. Each one sapped more of his strength, leaving him battered and bleeding.

But even in this state, Scorn managed to reach Qin Ming, unleashing a horizontal slash with his poleaxe.

However, the once-deadly charge had lost its terrifying speed and power.

Before the axe could strike, Qin Ming rolled to the side, creating distance. Scorn's wild swing missed completely.

As Qin Ming swiftly reloaded his revolver, Scorn limped forward, swinging his weapon aimlessly, hoping to land a hit.

But after several desperate strikes, the only response he received was the deafening crack of gunfire.

Bang!

A bullet struck Scorn's helmet, blasting off part of his ear. The once-feared lord was now reduced to a bleeding, screaming wreck, flailing in pain.

In a last-ditch effort, Scorn lifted his poleaxe and, with all the strength he could muster, hurled it at Qin Ming.

C-Rank Skill: Hundred-Step Throw!

The weapon sliced through the air with deadly precision, giving Qin Ming no time to react as it pierced his chest, sending him flying backward.

Qin Ming crashed to the ground, the poleaxe embedded deep in his torso.

Seeing his enemy seemingly defeated, a rare smile of victory crept onto Scorn's bloodied face.

But just as the relief set in, his expression froze.

To his shock, the enemy he thought he had killed was getting back up.

Qin Ming, despite the massive wound in his chest, staggered to his feet. He reached down, gripping the axe embedded in his body, and yanked it out. Blood soaked his torn red vest, but he just smiled.

With a smirk, he pulled out a small fruit salad from his pocket and shoved it into his mouth.

This was the loot he had exchanged earlier, knowing the village would fall, in order to avoid wasting his earned goodwill.

Name: Small Fruit Salad

Type: Consumable (White)

Effect: Restores 10% of health, cooldown: 3 minutes.

Description: A vegetarian's favorite snack, but just because it's vegetarian doesn't mean it's not valuable! Vegetables have lives too!

Chewing the salad with satisfaction, Qin Ming grinned at the wide-eyed Scorn.

Gripping Scorn's own poleaxe, Qin Ming raised it and pointed the blade at him.

"Sorry, but Constitution is one of my strong points."

"YOU DAMN BASTARD!!!"

Scorn, now weaponless and in a full-blown frenzy, picked up a nearby rock and, with a limping gait, charged at Qin Ming, screaming like a madman.

But Qin Ming, holding the poleaxe, simply let out a laugh… and then raised his revolver once more.

Bang!

Close combat? Why bother when you can shoot them dead from a distance? Guns aren't for decoration!

(End of Chapter)