Chapter 730 - 39: Zawahiri
The Black Forest remained tranquil, the towering gray-black trees imposing a heavy sense of oppression on those within.
Especially when alone.
At this moment, a strong sense of unease lingered in Paul’s heart.
Chen Zhou had been gone for a long time in pursuit of the Black-robed Man. Paul dared not stay in place, instead choosing to take the Three-headed Serrated Tiger Cubs towards the edge of the forest.
One man and three tigers concealed their forms, hiding behind several large trees at the forest’s perimeter.
Having traveled this far, it should be quite safe according to logic.
Paul knew that once Chen Zhou dealt with the Black-robed Man, he could find him. But now, crouching under the tree, he felt no sense of safety. There was an intuition in the back of his mind warning him—
Perhaps the first to arrive would not be Chen Zhou, but the Black-robed Man.
Thus, Paul picked up the multifunctional military saber, leaned his back against the trunk, heightened his alertness, and prepared to face the unknown enemy.
...
During the wait, time seemed to slow down.
Sweat formed on Paul’s palm gripping the knife handle. Just as he was about to release the knife to wipe the sweat, Tiger First, quietly resting beside him, suddenly stood up.
It spread its two sturdy front legs, lowered its body slightly, flattened its ears, its eyes radiating ferocity, revealing sharp fangs, and a deep growl emerged from its throat, threatening the trees directly ahead.
Following Tiger First’s warning, the other two Serrated Tigers also assumed combat stances.
All three Serrated Tigers’ heads pointed in the same direction; even though Paul couldn’t see the enemy, he knew where it was.
Before the enemy arrived close, he wiped the sweat from his palms to avoid making a fatal mistake due to a slipping grip during the fight.
He remembered Chen Zhou’s instructions—
If the Black-robed Man captured him, forming a one-on-one situation, he must defend with all his might and call loudly for help, revealing his position to draw Chen Zhou back for reinforcement.
Paul looked towards the distant tree trunks, just about to shout, when he remembered he was at the forest’s edge, and the other two groups of challengers had descended the cliff, one group being remnants, the other a full team.
Calling out might indeed draw Chen Zhou, but it could also attract the other two groups of challengers, thereby losing their hidden advantage.
Should he call for help immediately, at the risk of exposing their position, or defend wholeheartedly, trusting Chen Zhou, until he arrived?
No time was left for Paul to ponder—
The enemy had appeared.
...
Compared to previous sightings, the Black-robed Man seemed exceptionally ragged now, even losing his signature Black Robe.
He wore only light armor, with the garment across his chest torn, exposing light brown skin and muscles as rigid as cast iron.
The mask on his face remained, the gray pupils still cold, now tinged with fatigue compared to before.
...
Chen Zhou’s prowess far exceeded his expectations. If not for his lack of experience in human combat, Zawahiri might have perished under that long spear.
Nonetheless, Zawahiri, clad in heavy anti-stab clothing, was still injured, unable to reach here without the "Scent Trap" successfully diverting Chen Zhou in another direction, let alone lying in wait for revenge.
His cold and murderous eyes swept back and forth over Paul and the Three-headed Serrated Tigers. Zawahiri maintained a steady pace, pulling up the lower part of his mask, once again popping a weak and rapid regeneration capsule into his mouth—
This was one of the rewards he received after the last trial and the only powerful supply he had successfully brought in this time.
Without this capsule, he would have died under that spear a dozen minutes ago;
Without this capsule, he couldn’t have possibly endured until now, fleeing so far in a severely injured state, even managing to create confusion and misleading illusions.
Yet, the weak and rapid regeneration capsule was not sufficient to heal his injuries completely in a short span, only aiding him to complete this fight.
More crucially, the last capsule he just swallowed meant Zawahiri had only one chance.
If he couldn’t resolve his opponent swiftly, he must retreat immediately; otherwise, tangled once again by that monster-like man, his hope of survival would become minuscule.
...
Woo~Woo~
The Serrated Tigers’ threatening cries grew more frequent, and Paul finally made his own decision—
He would not call for help.
He knew very well who brought their lead in, who had been bearing the burden since the challenge started, and understood the importance of air-dropped supplies.
All along, Paul never felt he played any crucial role in this challenge. Objectively speaking, though he wasn’t a burden, he wasn’t much better than one.
Paul knew that calling loudly for help would certainly allow Chen Zhou to find him the fastest.
But doing so would negate the advantages they painstakingly accumulated over time.
Knowing there’s another team in the forest, the special traps they set would fail, losing the chance to launch an attack first.
Life is undoubtedly important, but the question arises: is it worth sacrificing the collective accumulated benefits for one’s own life?
Thinking back to Chen Zhou carrying heavy equipment and trekking with him, and his unwavering act of climbing down the Broken Cliff, Paul seemingly saw the commissioners of the early Soviet Republic selflessly caring for new members, and soldiers charging amidst flames in the Battle of Moscow.
Though he didn’t grasp fully the essence of "Life, I desire it; righteousness, I desire it too. If both cannot be had, give up life for righteousness," he demonstrated this truth through his actions.