Zi Tong rubbed her bright eyes and looked again.
Only then was she 100% certain she hadn't seen things wrong.
"How can this be so different from the intelligence reports?"
Zi Tong had reviewed plenty of information on the Zero Wing guild. The Star River Alliance had gathered data on every notable expert from Zero Wing, and each noteworthy person came with a wealth of video footage.
Among them, Huo Wu was one of the most noteworthy.
So Zi Tong knew Huo Wu quite well.
However, in those reports, Huo Wu's strength was classified as top-tier—barely able to hold her own against a same-level Leader monster. Zi Tong hadn't paid much mind to that. In her eyes, only Shui Se Qiang Wei counted as a worthy opponent; Huo Wu didn't even make her list.
But now...
Three full top-tier experts had been taken down by Huo Wu alone. How could such displayed strength not shake Zi Tong to her core?
Especially Huo Wu's razor-sharp, intimidating presence—even watching from afar, Zi Tong felt a dangerous sensation, as if Huo Wu could materialize before her and strike at any moment.
With Huo Wu radiating such dazzling, overwhelming power, it would have been impossible not to draw attention. And when so many experts were present—each one sharp as a rat—all of them immediately pinpointed the source of danger.
The four War Dragon members nearest to Huo Wu charged at her almost simultaneously, as if they had coordinated in advance, launching a joint attack from all four sides.
Facing the encirclement, Huo Wu's body flickered, leaving only an afterimage behind. She gave them no chance to attack together, instantly closing the distance to the nearest Level 27 assassin. Her crimson short sword blazed forward in multiple arcs of red light.
That War Dragon assassin was no ordinary player. Instead of retreating, he advanced, wielding his dagger to deflect each strike one by one. He read every arc of Huo Wu's sword perfectly. After blocking all the sword beams, he immediately followed up with a kick aimed right at Huo Wu.
"You're still too green!" the assassin sneered in his mind.
Compared to attacks from either hand, a well-placed kick was the deadliest of all.
But there was no helping it—this was the ingrained mindset of players. They assumed melee combat offered nothing beyond weapon attacks, so their eyes were always fixed on the weapon and both hands. A sudden kick from this angle was nearly impossible to guard against, and it could absolutely be lethal.
But just then, a Berserker not far away shouted, "Liu Zi, watch your back!"
Only then did the one called Liu Zi realize in shock that his kick had landed on nothing but an afterimage.
"Behind me?!" Liu Zi felt a sudden chill run down his spine. With years of combat experience and sharp instincts, he could clearly sense someone right behind him. He immediately tried to duck out of the way.
But Huo Wu hadn't used her short sword at all. The instant she circled behind the assassin, she swept a low kick at his legs, sending the completely unguarded assassin tumbling through the air. Huo Wu then followed with one thrust through the heart and one slash across the throat—simple, direct, and utterly efficient, like a seasoned killer.
By the time the remaining three War Dragon members rushed over, that assassin had already become a lifeless soul beneath Huo Wu's blade.