One-Eyed Jack frowned, quickened his pace, and in the blink of an eye moved away from the shore, reaching the crowded area of the dock.

"And we still have the girls..." The attendant behind him kept talking, but a sharp dagger slid silently from his sleeve, stabbing toward One-Eyed Jack's completely unguarded back!

At the critical moment, the bundle on One-Eyed Jack's shoulder suddenly slipped off with a clang, blocking the unavoidable stab!

One-Eyed Jack had actually sensed the attack from behind!

With a furious roar, One-Eyed Jack threw a heavy punch backward, while his other hand gripped the short knife in the bundle. He turned around in one swift motion, but the attendant had already vanished!

As he warily searched for the assassin, a large cart loaded with goods charged straight toward him!

At the same time, the old woman selling wontons behind him suddenly flung a pot of boiling water right at his head!

Two porters drew sharp blades and lunged at him from both sides!

It all happened so fast that the crowd on the dock continued about their business, not even having time to notice anything unusual!

Goblin wore a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth. Even a Yellow Rank expert couldn't escape such a deadly trap!

However, in the next instant, his pupils contracted. The scalding soup splashed onto the cart, and the two porters' blades struck the cart's burlap sacks! Their target had vanished into thin air!

No, not vanished into thin air!

One-Eyed Jack had actually leapt into the air, narrowly dodging both the collision and the boiling water. His legs stretched out in a split, and with two loud thuds, he kicked both porters square in the face!

The two men screamed, flying backward and knocking over several bystanders!

Finally, the commotion startled the crowd on the dock, and chaos erupted!

Goblin watched as One-Eyed Jack disappeared into the panicked crowd, trying to escape in the confusion, a mix of shock and fury on his face!

He was surprised by the target's strength, which seemed to have surpassed the Yellow Rank! What infuriated him was that his carefully laid trap had been broken so easily!

"Where do you think you're going!" Goblin shouted, springing into action. Unable to outwit him, he would have to overpower him! As a Profound Rank expert, his strength was still above the target's!

His accomplices all drew their weapons and charged at One-Eyed Jack!

Seeing so many armed fighters appear, the crowd on the dock screamed, dropping their luggage and goods, scattering in all directions like headless chickens. The boats at the pier hurriedly cast off, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire!

The utter chaos greatly hindered the assassins from the White Ape Society, preventing them from surrounding One-Eyed Jack all at once!

One-Eyed Jack wielded his single saber, his technique strange and exquisite, always striking at the opponent's most vulnerable spots, forcing them to block and retreat!

After fending off several assassins, One-Eyed Jack was about to escape the dock! At that moment, Goblin finally caught up, swinging an iron rod with barbed hooks at the end, bringing it down on One-Eyed Jack's head with a whoosh!

The forceful blow was as fast as lightning, leaving One-Eyed Jack no time to counter and not daring to block. He could only roll away desperately, narrowly dodging the attack!

Goblin blocked One-Eyed Jack's escape route and, without pause, smashed down with several more full-force strikes. The difference between Profound and Yellow Rank was fundamental—no need for technique, sheer strength would prevail!

One-Eyed Jack dodged and blocked, his single saber nearly knocked from his hand, completely on the defensive!

Several Yellow Rank assassins also rushed in, leaving One-Eyed Jack with nowhere to run!

Just then, a small boat, trying to avoid the fleeing vessels, accidentally drifted close to the shore!

One-Eyed Jack knew this was his only chance. He threw several black pellets at his enemies!

"Thunderbolts!" Goblin cried out in shock, not expecting One-Eyed Jack to possess the Mo family's secret weapon!

The assassins all dodged in panic, afraid of being injured by the legendary king of hidden weapons!

However, the things just landed on the ground with a pop, emitting a few wisps of black smoke, and then nothing—no expected flash or explosion!

"Fakes!" Goblin's eyes bulged with rage—he'd been tricked!

By then, One-Eyed Jack had already rolled and crawled to the shore, leaped onto the small boat, pressed his saber to the boatman's neck, and ordered him to set off immediately!

The boatman, terrified, pushed off with his pole, steering the boat into the river.

By the time Goblin and his men reached the shore, the small boat was already seventy or eighty feet away.

Goblin was beside himself with rage, roaring, "Get on the boats! After them!"

By the time his men seized two fast boats and started the chase, the small boat was already over thirty zhang away!

……

Goblin's face was so dark it was almost purple as he stood at the bow, gripping his iron rod. He was in a foul mood! With things at this point, he was sure to be scolded mercilessly by the boss! If the target escaped, he would have to bear all the losses himself! And he would definitely be demoted!

That was absolutely unacceptable to him!

"If you don't want to die, catch up with them!" Goblin smashed the cabin roof to pieces with a heavy blow!

The sailors on board turned pale, rowing with all their might!

The small boat was also moving at full speed, with even One-Eyed Jack grabbing an oar to help row, but their speed was clearly no match for the pursuers!

The chase continued through the busy waterways, the distance between them steadily closing...

Chapter 8: Nothing More Than This

The sun was already slanting westward, golden light shimmering on West Lake. It was still early, and the tourists on the lake showed no sign of wanting to leave.