Lin Beichen said gravely, "Now we should go check on Barney and the others' situation."
Even though they had killed countless enemies along the way, it seemed to have caused no substantial harm to Joseph's group, leaving Lin Beichen with a deep sense of powerlessness.
He was eager to make a breakthrough, so he decided to go rescue Barney and the others—besides, the mission's target was still in Joseph's hands!
In the depths of the forest, the corpse of the National Martial Arts master dangled from the treetops, his wide-open eyes revealing an expression of disbelief.
As a world-class close combat expert, he had only added one injury in this battle—and it was sustained in a melee fight.
This was not due to the opponent's superior skills, but because the killer's identity had taken him by surprise.
The Muay Thai master stood silently next to the National Martial Arts master's corpse.
It was he who had killed the master with his own hands; at this moment, the disbelief in the National Martial Arts master's eyes before death echoed in his mind, causing him to let out eerie laughter.
In this somewhat eerie forest, his laughter sounded particularly uncanny.
Then, a hunched figure slowly stepped out from the forest. The Muay Thai master's twisted expression gradually relaxed upon seeing this figure, and he knelt on one knee to show respect.
If the elderly were to see this old man, they would surely exclaim in awe—he was once a trusted lieutenant of the world's third-largest mercenary group's leader!
He fought in many battles in the wilderness and cities, becoming legendary in both gunfights and hand-to-hand combat.
The old man seemed to have clouded eyes, but he reached out accurately and touched the Muay Thai master's head.
At that moment, he was transported back to that fierce battle years ago—all his comrades were killed, and the captain was shot dead by an enemy sniper, yet he survived alone.
"Father."
Seeing the old man remain silent for so long, the Muay Thai master lowered his head even further, showing more humility and reverence.
The old man slowly recovered from his memories, looking at the son he had adopted for revenge, his heart full of emotions.
Their employer had deliberately provided false information, leading them to their doom. Before the mercenary group's demise, he was hailed as the conscience of the Mercenary Realm.
Yet, after retiring, he lived in constant fear, afraid that powerful enemy would come for him. Eventually, he abandoned his conscience, adopting several absolutely loyal children to himself, distorting their personalities—like the Muay Thai master who took pleasure in others' expressions of despair before death.
"My child, you did well this time..." No sooner had the old man finished speaking than the Muay Thai master suddenly struck, driving a fist through the old man's chest!
The old man's face was full of shock and disbelief, while the Muay Thai master stood up with a sinister smile, tearing off the human skin mask from his face: "Thank you for teaching me this last technique, allowing me to indulge even more in the joy of deceiving others!"
With that, he started laughing heartily, while the old man's shocked expression gradually froze, eventually turning into a cold corpse.
The Muay Thai master looked at this scene with glee, then suddenly frowned as he heard the sound of a helicopter approaching, quickly reverting to his original form by shrinking his bones and hiding the old man's body in a tree hollow.
Joseph stepped off the helicopter, followed by an assassin disguised as the Muay Thai master.
Frowning slightly, he looked at the "Muay Thai master" in front of him: "Where is your brother?"
The impersonator's face showed grief and disbelief: "We were walking, and he just suddenly... suddenly..."
As he spoke, his lips started to turn white, his eyes revealing terror.
Joseph watched his expression closely, suspecting Lin Beichen might have acted secretly again, so he asked with a hint of urgency: "Suddenly what?"
But in that instant, the fear on the impersonator's face vanished, replaced by a sinister smile.
He suddenly swung a punch at Joseph's head!
The people around tried to intervene, but they were too far away to react in time.
However, Joseph calmly tilted his head, easily dodging the deadly strike, and then stood up, delivering a spinning kick that landed hard on the impersonator's face!
The spinning kick, though flawed, seemed so effortless in Joseph's hands.
The impersonator never expected to be defeated by this seemingly ordinary middle-aged man, let alone by a "simple" move like a spinning kick!
He collapsed on the ground, his face showing terror, while Joseph straightened his suit and shoes, a barely noticeable fanatical look crossing his face: "This way, another of that person's elite soldiers will be mine!"
The soldiers beside him silently obeyed Joseph's orders, decapitating the impersonator and throwing the body out of the helicopter.
Barney and the others watched Joseph's departing figure, their eyes filled with unmistakable apprehension.
Recalling his incredible skills moments ago, they couldn't help but wonder if Lin Beichen also possessed such strength?
In the distance, Lin Beichen and his group were gradually approaching the area where Joseph and his men had been.
The special forces soldiers were chatting and laughing, seemingly unaware of the lurking danger.
This was, of course, thanks to Lin Beichen's clever use of a Concealment Talisman, which made them nearly undetectable at this distance.
"It seems Joseph has already escaped by helicopter." Lin Beichen looked into the distance, understanding the situation.