In a high-level martial arts game, a wife is given to you at the start.

Chapter 971 Thunder Fiend's Wrath

"Retreat! Retreat now!!"

The leader's voice was filled with an almost shrill terror. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and ran. The remaining eleven men, like frightened birds, fled frantically in the direction they had come from.

But it was too late.

A massive black shadow burst forth from the mist with incredible speed. The two alien races at the back didn't even have time to scream before they were simultaneously pinned down by two enormous claws, like rats nailed to the ground. Then came two dull cracking sounds of bones breaking, and the two greyish-white figures were utterly lifeless.

The remaining ten people ran even faster, and none of them dared to look back.

As the leader ran, he cursed Lin Qiye, that bastard, in his mind.

A few days ago, he used the Black Mountain Beast to kill the three scouts and four henchmen.

A few days later, he used the same trick to trick thirteen alien races.

……

When Lin Qiye returned to the arena, it was already completely dark.

The black iron guard at the east gate saw him return and lingered on him for a few moments.

But Lin Qiye didn't give them a chance to ask questions. After showing his jade token to verify his identity, he went straight through the heavy black iron door and entered the arena.

The door slammed shut behind them with a dull thud.

Lin Qiye walked briskly along the dimly lit passage. His steps remained steady, but the Blood Demon power within him was already issuing subtle warnings—three consecutive days of travel, a direct battle with the alien race, and a near-death escape on the edge of Black Mountain had all taken a toll on his physical strength and source energy.

What he needs most right now is rest and recuperation.

Back to the residence.

The moment the door was pushed open, the warmth of the room and the light of the oil lamp rushed out together.

Luo Sheng was sitting at the table, holding her sleeping youngest daughter, Lin Luoshen, in her arms. Shuang'er sat opposite her, holding a book and softly reading something. Man Ji leaned against a soft couch in the corner, her belly already quite protruding, holding a piece of roasted, golden-brown meat in her hand, and was taking big bites.

As Lin Qiye pushed the door open and entered, the three women's eyes simultaneously fell on him.

Luo Sheng was the first to speak: "You're back?"

"Um."

"Are you injured?"

"no."

Luo Sheng looked him up and down, making sure there were no obvious wounds on his body, before letting out a slight sigh of relief. She didn't ask any more questions, but simply got up and gently placed her daughter in the cradle beside her, then walked to the stove: "There's still some soup warming in the pot, I'll go heat it up for you."

Shuang'er put down her book, stood up, walked to Lin Qiye, and reached out to help him take off the gray-black cloak stained with ashes and blood. Her movements were natural and gentle, as if she were doing something she was already used to.

"How are things going outside?" Shuang'er's voice remained cold, but there was a hint of concern in her tone.

"Everything went smoothly." Lin Qiye let her help him take off his cloak, sat down at the table, took a piece of roasted meat from the barbarian princess, took a bite, and said, "I bought all the medicine. The pregnancy-stabilizing pills and the Qi-stabilizing powder are enough to last until you give birth and there will still be some left over."

Upon hearing this, the Barbarian Princess's eyes lit up immediately, and she broke off another piece of roasted meat and handed it over: "That's great! I've been feeling this little one in my belly sucking in a lot of source energy these past few days, and I was worried that we wouldn't have enough!"

Luo Sheng and Shuang'er didn't ask, but they could imagine how dangerous it was.

Luo Sheng remained silent for a moment, and finally said only one sentence: "It's good that you came back safely."

Lin Qiye nodded and didn't say anything more.

……

At the same time.

Lei Sha's private hall.

Lei Sha sat upright.

His eyes, hidden behind his mask, were fixed on Moro kneeling before him, the rage burning within them almost tangible.

"What did you say?"

Moro pressed his forehead against the cold ground, his voice trembling slightly: "My lord... Hattie... we've completely lost contact with her."

"boom--!"

Lei Sha slammed his palm down on the armrest of the black iron chair, the entire armrest caved in under the force of his blow, leaving a clear handprint. The air in the entire hall seemed to freeze under that blow, and the servants standing in the corner were so frightened that they held their breath.

The four kings that Hattie took away were his most capable henchmen.

That was the core fighting force he had cultivated at great cost.

To ensure everything went perfectly, he entrusted it all to Hattie.

But now, Moro tells him that all those people have disappeared.

And now, Lin Qiye has returned alive.

Lei Sha's chest heaved violently a few times.

He slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the anger in his eyes had been forcibly suppressed, replaced by a deeper and colder killing intent.

"Lin Qiye..." he slowly uttered the name, his voice so low it seemed to be squeezed from the deepest part of his throat, "It seems I really underestimated you."

Moro knelt on the ground, barely daring to breathe, and could only cautiously ask, "Sir, what should we do next?"

Lei Sha tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest twice, then stopped, and tapped it twice more.

After Moreau left, he was left alone in the hall. The oil lamp in the corner cast a long shadow of him on the mottled stone wall, making him look like a silent statue.

He closed his eyes and quickly went through the events of the past few days in his mind.

The number of people who were lost in the attack was enough to shake the foundations he had built up in this area over the years. These people were not roadside weeds that could be easily replaced after they died—each one was a core force that he had cultivated or won over at great cost in gladiatorial coins, resources, and favors.

But Lin Qiye returned unharmed.

Lei Sha's breathing was heavy, like a wild beast locked in a cage, but it endured it.

It wasn't because he had exceptional self-control, but because he knew that anger was the cheapest thing in the arena. Anger only exposes weaknesses, and weaknesses can lead to death.

A moment later, he slowly opened his eyes. His cold eyes had returned to their usual calm, as if the outburst of rage had never happened.

"Moro".

He spoke, his voice as calm as if nothing had happened.

Moro immediately walked in from outside the door and knelt on one knee: "Your subordinate is here."

"Pass on my message," Lei Sha's voice was low and slow. "From today onwards, everyone return to your positions and cease all actions against Lin Qiye. Without my order, no one is allowed to approach his residence or engage in any form of conflict with him."

Moro jerked his head up, his face filled with disbelief: "My lord?"

"I said, pause." Lei Sha's tone left no room for negotiation. "Don't you understand?"

Moro opened his mouth, but ultimately lowered his head: "Understood."

"Go and do it."

Moro stood up and quickly retreated.

The doors to the hall closed again.

Lei Sha leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the mottled cracks in the ceiling, as if looking at something distant.

Pausing does not mean giving up.

He knew better than anyone that in the arena, to truly kill someone, besides a hard knife, there was also a soft knife.

Rules are the sharpest soft knife.