The Great Merchant in the Cataclysm

Chapter 79: Come And Bite Me

Unfortunately, the brown-tailed tiger didn’t wish to give Zhang Mu this chance. Although its forelimb was crippled by Zhang Mu, causing it to stagger and lose balance, its mind a singular thought.

It wanted to destroy Zhang Mu.

Zhang Mu, who was knocked flying by the brown tail, tried his best to adjust his position. However, he only managed to make sure that his wound would not suffer another impact. He still flew more than 10 metres before smashing to the ground, his face filled with blood and dirt.

One step, two steps, the brown-tailed tiger was approaching very quickly. Zhang Mu calculated the different possibilities and realised that he would not be able to last until the effects of the recovery potion restored him.

Zhang Mu followed the steps of the tiger and slowly moved back with difficulty, trying to stall for time.

His back was burning with pain. Although the effects of the recovery potion were noticeable, the injury inflicted by the metal-type energy was overbearing. The power of the brown-tailed tiger had not reached a high level but it was enough to delay the action of the recovery potion.

Thankfully, as there was no more metal-type energy being inflicted on the wound, the power which was preventing the healing of the injury started to dwindle. Hence, the wound was beginning to slowly close up. However, the speed of healing was not able to catch up with the speed at which the brown-tailed tiger was approaching him.

But, this actually wasn’t the reason why Zhang Mu was unable to stand. The full force blow from the desperate brown-tailed tiger just now landed directly on his spine. The muscles on his back were not strong enough to absorb the entire attack. His spine was hurt really badly.

Zhang Mu arrived at a decision. He had to take a risk. This seemed to be the only chance he has.

He shouted at the mutated wolfdog, “Stupid dog, hurry up and run away first.”

The mutated wolfdog was having an intimate battle with the mutated tiger below it. When it heard Zhang Mu’s anxious command, although it couldn’t understand the reason, it took a blow from the mutated tiger and left the battlefield with much effort.

It was still thinking of moving towards Zhang Mu. It thought that Zhang Mu got injured badly and needed it to help him earn some time.

Contrary to its thinking, Zhang Mu glared at it and scolded, “I asked you to run away! Don’t cause trouble for me.”

The mutated wolfdog understood Zhang Mu’s intention and immediately ran away. It wasn’t the least worried that something would happen to Zhang Mu as it recalled the time when it first met him and was captured by him.

The brown-tailed tiger was also confused. It was ready to attack the mutated wolfdog first before tackling Zhang Mu, but the wolfdog ran away and left Zhang Mu standing by himself. The brown-tailed tiger couldn’t care much. It jogged towards Zhang Mu and opened its mouth widely to bite off Zhang Mu’s head.

However, Zhang Mu didn’t seem the least bothered by it. He was looking at the direction of the wolfdog and silently cursed it, “Even if I asked you to run away do you have to leave so decisively? Are you that confident in me?”

If the wolfdog heard this, it would definitely feel wronged. It did try to help but got scolded by Zhang Mu. That’s why it thought that Zhang Mu must have a way out of his predicament. Also, it was easily captured when it first met Zhang Mu, causing it to have blind faith in the abilities of Zhang Mu.

Hearing the sound of the brown-tailed tiger approaching, Zhang Mu sneered without even turning his head, “What a joke. Do you want to take my life by yourself? Even if your boss, that white cat, was here, you’ll not be able to do it. Much less just you, the second in command forever.”

When he said “second in command forever”, Zhang Mu suddenly turned his head and gave the Bloodvine Lotus on his left arm an order.

He called back all the vines of the Bloodvine Lotus.

Zhang Mu now was able to smell the stench coming out from the mouth of the brown-tailed tiger. However, it didn’t have the chance to take another step forward. It already found it difficult to balance with three limbs. As the retreating vines swept past, they stabbed and sliced, inflicting grievous wounds and leaving it looking like a tattered pincushion.

Looking at the regrets in its eyes, Zhang Mu mouth twitched upwards. He craftily snickered and said, “I heard a tiger’s reproductive organ is very good for a man. It must definitely be worth a lot of money.”

If the brown-tailed tiger was still alive, it would definitely use up all its energy and risk its life to tear apart this evil merchant that didn’t even want to leave that bit alone.

Unfortunately, Zhang Mu had no mood to mock the tiger anymore. His face was white and pale. Controlling the Bloodvine Lotus required a lot of energy. The action of recalling the vines caused Zhang Mu to fall to the ground, half kneeling.

Seeing a difficult enemy suddenly weakened, the mutated tigers were crept forward. Then they watched as the brown-tailed tiger was killed by Zhang Mu and was held up in the air, its blood sucked out by he Bloodvine Lotus. All of them immediately went crazy and ran towards Zhang Mu.

“Even if I don’t have much energy now, I have defeated your second-in-command. You all are just extras. Are you all planning to kill me?”

“If yes, come! Come and bite me then!”

Just as Zhang Mu was going to be surrounded by the ten tigers, he grinned and lifted his left arm. The vines instantaneously left the brown-tailed tiger’s body and formed a cage around Zhang Mu, ingraining their roots deep into the ground and not leaving any gaps between them.

Zhang Mu had created a protective cage around himself.

Peng! Peng! Peng!

Sounds of impact kept reverberating inside the cage. It must be the ten mutated tigers ramming into the vines that suddenly appeared. Thereafter, they scratched the vines to no avail. Every time they broke open a hole in the vine, a new vine would emerge cover up the hole.

However, the effects of the mutated tiger’s flames were more evident. A burnt smell filled the air. The intelligence of these normal mutated tigers had yet to reach a high level. Now that they have lost their leader and were immensely angered by Zhang Mu, they just blindly breathed flames onto every part of the cage, causing no damage at all.

Listening to the vines of the Bloodvine Lotus crackling in the heat, Zhang Mu appeared calm and composed. He only had to hide in the darkness, on one hand, slowly fed crystals to his left arm, allowing vines to regenerate. On the other hand, the injuries on his back and his spine continued healing.

He smiled helplessly and slowly muttered, “I should have thought of this earlier.”

“Cutting off one finger is better than damaging ten fingers.”