Chapter 295: Defending Wave After Wave
With eight wooden puppets that all had overwhelming speed, all Li Lang could do was run. Just because their numbers were doubled didn’t mean they had twice the combat potential. Melee combat didn’t work like that, especially when against a lone target. There was limited real estate around Li Lang that the puppets all had to share. It meant they couldn’t just all attack at once.
Still, their additional numbers allowed them to cover more ground. Fewer spaces for Li Lang to escape to, less time to react. It didn’t take long before a few hits slipped through his guard. The only saving grace was that the puppets weren’t armed, so there was no risk of bleeding out anytime soon. However, stamina was another issue.
What the hell kind of test is this? Are the challengers supposed to survive?
Li Lang cursed at the supposed benign trials of the orthodox sects. Even with a sharp blade, blunt trauma was plenty enough to kill.
With him being pushed to the brink, he naturally began looking for escape paths. Unfortunately for him, the entire dojo seemed enclosed. It was literally like a box, with no windows or exits anywhere in sight. A perfectly empty room save for the wooden puppets, Li Lang himself, and the sign hanging on the wall.
The only hint is ‘Defend yourself, defend others?’ How in the world is that even remotely helpful? This truism garbage has gone too far!
Despite the lack of details provided, Li Lang still tried his best going through the options with the little he had. His body continued to dive around while his mind desperately tried to decipher what the phrase on the sign hinted at.
Does it have a similar meaning to emergency protocols on starships? Help stabilize yourself in case of incidents before helping others, like children?
The next time he dove out of the way, he took the split second while rolling around to scan the room for anything to protect. There were no hidden crevices or obstructions. Li Lang failed to find anything that came remotely close to needing help besides him. Before he could deliberate on more possibilities, a wooden missile was sent flying toward his head. The punch narrowly missed and only forced Li Lang to relocate, but the pressure was building up fast.
That doesn’t make as much sense from a combat perspective. Defending others is exponentially harder than just fending for yourself. Your movements would be restricted when guarding someone, dodging becomes unviable for the majority of situations, and being too passive would just give them the leeway to intensify their assault.