Chapter 706 - 706: Blame Your Luck
Rovan grabbed the man from behind and locked both arms around his neck.
There was no technique, just pure force.
The masked man gave him one cold glance, then slammed backward into the wall.
BANG!!
Rovan's spine nearly cracked. His grip loosened.
The man grabbed his wrist, twisted, and threw him over his shoulder.
Rovan hit the ground so hard his vision blurred.
The masked man lifted a foot to crush his head.
A silver blur flashed in from the side.
CRACK!!
Beatrice's staff slammed into the man's knee.
The leg bent sideways.
The masked man staggered.
Beatrice stepped in and drove the end of her staff into his stomach.
Then she twisted it and released a pulse of qi.
BOMM!!
The man flew backward and smashed into the patched pavement.
For the first time, one of them was actually thrown away.
Rovan stared up at her from the ground, stunned.
Beatrice's hands were trembling.
She had forcefully used too much qi.
Still, she planted the staff down in front of her and stood straight.
"Get up," she said without turning. "If you can still move, then move."
Rovan gritted his teeth and pushed himself upright.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
His whole body ached. He raised his fists again anyway.
The masked figures shifted.
This time, three moved together.
Beatrice's pupils shrank.
She swung her staff and sent out another crescent of light.
One attacker ducked under it.
Another split it apart.
The third vanished from sight.
Beatrice reacted on instinct and spun.
A blade slid past her neck so close it cut off several strands of hair.
She thrust her staff backward.
The attacker caught it under his arm.
Another one kicked her in the side.
THUD!!
Beatrice flew sideways and rolled across the ground.
Her staff nearly left her hand.
Rovan shouted and rushed the attacker who kicked her.
He swung a fist at the man's jaw.
The masked man caught it easily.
Then another fist came from Rovan's other side. Then a knee. Then an elbow.
He was full of openings, but he kept coming, not giving the man any chance.
The man blocked one strike after another, stepping back once, twice, clearly annoyed.
Then the man's knee drove into Rovan's stomach.
BAM!!!
His back bent.
A hand chopped into the side of his neck.
The world tilted. He almost blacked out.
Before another blow could fall, a line of silver light tore across the space between them.
The masked man jumped back.
Beatrice was up again.
Blood ran from the corner of her lips now.
Her staff spun around her body, leaving arcs of pale light in the air.
For a moment, the open area between the buildings looked like it was wrapped in silver threads.
Then she slammed the bottom of the staff into the ground.
BZZZZT!!
A wider formation spread out under her feet, covering the fallen children, Rovan, and herself.
A dome of light began to rise.
The masked men attacked at once.
Qi exploded like fireworks.
The half-formed barrier shook violently.
Cracks spread through it in a blink.
Beatrice's face turned even paler.
She pushed more qi into it.
The gem at the top of her staff grew brighter and brighter.
Rovan looked at her side profile and finally understood.
She was forcing herself now, sacrificing her life to buy time.
"It's pointless. If the authorities were going to come, they would have come already," Rovan said as he stood up.
"Shut up. So what do you want to do? Just bend over and die?"
"Call Master Alex."
"You think I haven't tried? The formation blocks all communication outside. Just why are they here?"
Rovan froze for a moment, then said, "Probably to make a point."
"Point? What point?"
"Master Alex took me as a hostage to threaten my uncle and the patriarch."
"So you are saying they decided to throw you away?"
Beatrice asked with disdain.
"They would even throw away their own blood family?"
Rovan turned silent, unable to answer.
He believed his uncle would not throw him away.
That meant the order came from the patriarch.
"I may have been born with wealth and power, but in my family's eyes, I'm just something they can sacrifice when needed."
"Hmph. You know that, yet you still act like the type who treats others like trash."
Beatrice did not know much about Rovan, but it was not her first time meeting his type.
She could recognize them at a glance.
Rovan only let out a bitter smile.
He did not even try to defend himself.
BAM! BANG! BANG!
The masked figures kept hammering the barrier from all sides.
Each strike made the light dimmer.
Then one of the attackers raised his blade high.
Black qi gathered along the edge.
Beatrice saw it and her heart dropped.
"When the barrier shatters, you run. I'll try to buy some time."
Before Rovan could even respond, the blade came down.
Rovan moved before he even realized it.
He threw himself in front of Beatrice.
The barrier shattered.
CRASH!!
Light exploded everywhere.
The black blade fell straight toward them.
Red blood sprayed forward as the sword cut through Rovan's arm.
It should have cut his body into two if not for Beatrice pulling him away at the last moment.
"What are you thinking!? I told you to run!"
"I don't know. I wish I was running. My body moved by itself!"
Beatrice's breathing turned ragged.
Rovan's face was pale as he clutched his arm, blood spilling through his fingers.
In front of them, the seven masked figures stood still.
They looked at the two of them like they were already dead meat.
Beatrice's grip tightened around her staff.
Her arms were shaking.
She already run out of qi, to create any other barrier.
Rovan staggered to his feet beside her, one hand holding his ruined arm.
His face looked ugly and pale, but he still forced himself to stand in front of Beatrice by half a step.
The seven figures slowly closing in.
Beatrice look toward the kids. "At least spare them."
"Sorry we couldn't have any witness. They could just blame their luck." One of the black figure said.
Beatrice's heart sank all the way down.
Rovan's throat went dry.
Then suddenly, a voice came from behind them.
Filled with killing intent.
"I told them to never touch my people."
The seven masked men stopped at once.
Beatrice's eyes widened.
Rovan froze.
The familiar voice came again.
"It seems they lack understanding."