Chapter 80: Life and Death Determined by Fate
Carving the wings was not complicated at all. Su Hao didn't even need to polish them smooth. He just needed to follow the general structure provided by Xiao Guang and carve out shapes that were not too different. Then he attached some simple control devices to the wings.
The principle of wing flight relied on the difference in airflow between the upper and lower surfaces of the wings to provide lift. With Xiao Guang's calculations and simulations, it was very simple to make. In just two hours, Su Hao carved out the approximate shape.
The wings were similar to those of a fighter jet, tilted backward and extending a little over a meter on each side. After Su Hao attached the wings to the armor, they looked sleek and cool, but the details were indeed rough.
Su Hao shook left and right and found that it was stable, not affecting his swordplay.
He looked around but didn't find any ropes that could be used to secure the wings. So Su Hao took on the role of a carpenter, making a simple Lu Ban lock to fasten the wings tightly to the armor.
After confirming that there were no problems, Su Hao began to wait for nightfall.
He needed to test the flight, familiarize himself with the controls and speed, but he couldn't do it under the watchful eyes of the seven warriors. He had to wait until it was dark and quietly attempt to take off.
Soon, the sky darkened. Today's clouds were slightly thicker, obscuring most of the moonlight, making it difficult to see things around.
Seeing the opportune moment, Su Hao equipped the wings, applied the effects of "Hardness," "Sharpness," and "Breaking the Air" to the wings, and added the effect of "Coordination" to himself. He crouched down, following the predetermined route, gradually accelerating. Then, he leaped forward, soaring into the air, while the "Burst" rune beneath his feet suddenly activated.
"Boom!"
Su Hao instantly accelerated and shot into the sky.
"What's going on?!" The seven warriors were alarmed by the loud noise and immediately jumped up, assuming defensive positions.
Old Cao, who had closed his eyes, suddenly opened them and said, "Oh no, he's running, quickly chase after him!"
The seven of them immediately ran in the direction Old Cao pointed.
After a while, Old Cao furrowed his brows and said, "He suddenly became so fast!"
"It's fine, let him stay behind."
Old Cao shook his head. "In a while, we might lose him."
"How is that possible?"
Everyone was astonished.
By now, Su Hao was already in the sky, thoroughly enjoying the thrill of winged flight.
At first, he was somewhat nervous, afraid that a single mistake could result in a crash. But as he continuously activated the "Burst" rune, his speed increased, and his flying became more stable.
He could even feel the strong upward force provided by the wings on his back, putting his mind at ease.
Su Hao enjoyed the roaring wind outside his armor, a sense of exhilaration spreading throughout his body. His inner excitement was almost overwhelming.
Although he relied on the wings to achieve flight, it was indeed flight.
There was a time when he longed for extreme sports like "winged flight," but due to lack of resources and courage, it was an unattainable desire. But now, he had truly flown into the sky with his own hands.
Su Hao knew that this was just the first accomplishment.
In the future, he would be able to achieve one dream after another, dreams that were once fantastical or out of reach.
He first reinforced the wings with a "Hardness" rune, activated the "Burst" rune under his feet, and instantly flew higher.
He wanted to reach a high enough altitude to try various flight maneuvers. In case of failure and a fall, he needed enough space to adjust.
"Xiao Guang, start recording flight data. Analyze the fastest speed in horizontal flight, the fastest ascent speed, the maximum turning angle, the maximum dive and turn speed, and the flight mode with the lowest noise..."
As Su Hao continued ascending, breaking through the lower cloud layer, his vision brightened as the moonlight filled the sky. He continued flying higher, reaching an altitude of over 3,000 meters, then began giving instructions to Xiao Guang for data analysis.
Then, he started various flight experiments.
Ascending and descending rapidly, sometimes using the "Impact" rune for sudden turns, and at times gliding in a large "S" shape.
At first, he was slightly unfamiliar, but with the passage of time, he became more proficient. Su Hao's scale of playfulness grew larger and larger. If it weren't for the fear that the wings couldn't handle it, he could have performed even more stunts.
Meanwhile, below the cloud layer, the seven people were exchanging bewildered glances, looking at each other. Then they looked at Old Cao and asked, "Old Cao, are you sure he's here?"
Old Cao began to doubt himself a bit and pointed ahead based on his perception. "Yes, according to my perception, the 'traveler'' is right ahead, constantly moving quickly. Sometimes to the east, then back again, and now heading south. I'm not mistaken!"
Old Cao's core perception rune could only track the target's plane direction. Its range was broad but couldn't provide accurate coordinates like Su Hao. This was the difference between planar and spatial coordinates.
Everyone wore a skeptical expression, looking at the spot Old Cao indicated, their eyes scanning back and forth, but they couldn't see a trace of anyone.
Old Cao explained, "Perhaps it's too dark to see where he is. It's normal."
Everyone internally mocked. Although it was a bit dark, they were Grandmaster-level warriors with keen hearing and vision. It was impossible not to perceive a person leaping around quickly. What a joke!
Someone said, "Old Cao, are you trying to lose him and then cover it up?"
Old Cao silently didn't say anything, but his resolute attitude conveyed to everyone that he was absolutely right!
In this situation, everyone felt a bit uneasy.
They thought that the other party, the "Silver Armor Rune Grandmaster," might have a way to hide their presence and movements. Suddenly, everyone became alert, fearing that the opponent might suddenly attack.
...
After a long time, Su Hao, who felt he had become proficient in winged flight, focused his gaze on the ground and began descending.
When he was about 2,000 meters above the ground, Su Hao sensed the positions of the seven individuals.
Hidden within the clouds, he slowly drew out his long sword. The runes on the sword and armor were fully activated. Then, he equipped himself with "Breaking the Air" and "Coordination."
"Breaking the Air" reduced wind resistance and minimized the noise of flight to a mere whisper. "Coordination" allowed him to adjust his body position in mid-air.
Lastly, he activated a rune he rarely used on his entire body—a light-absorbing rune.
Suddenly, he became pitch-black from the outside, blending into the darkness of the night, almost like he was invisible.
Su Hao named this flight mode "Stealth Flight Mode."
Although it was slower than full-speed flight, the speed in "Stealth Flight Mode
" was already much faster than running normally. Moreover, it excelled in stealth, silently passing by and reaping the lives of enemies without them even noticing.
Prepared, Su Hao began a dive, passing through the clouds silently.
Following the predetermined order, he sensed and locked onto the fourth warrior. His long sword pressed tightly against his thigh, making no sound, ready to strike at any moment and claim the enemy's life.
At the same time, Old Cao's heart skipped a beat. He exclaimed in shock, "He's coming! He's coming quickly, right ahead, run!"
Having said that, Old Cao took the lead and started running.
Everyone tensed up immediately and followed Old Cao in escape.
They kept turning their heads to the direction pointed by Old Cao's warrior and stared with wide eyes. However, they didn't see anything at all.
Just as they were about to ask Old Cao in confusion, a sharp whistle passed by their ears. Before anyone could react, Old Cao's head suddenly lifted up, then fell to the ground, and his body collapsed, lifeless.
Everyone reflexively scattered in different directions.
"What was that just now?" someone asked loudly.
"I don't know, couldn't see clearly! It sounded like something passing by, but I didn't see anything."
"It seemed to come from above."
"Oh no, Old Cao is dead. Our only perceptive warrior is gone."
"What do we do now?"
"Should we give up the mission and report back?"
"This is the gathering of the Nine City Lords. If we go back empty-handed, our lives won't be guaranteed."
Following was a long period of silence.
With Old Cao around, they could still contend with the opponent. But now that Old Cao was dead, it was as if their eyes had been cut off. If the opponent wanted to escape, their mission would be practically impossible to complete.
And the only outcome of an incomplete mission was death. No matter how vast the sky or earth was, there was nowhere to hide.
If the opponent didn't run and instead tried to attack the remaining six, they still had a slim chance of turning the tables.
At this moment, everyone knew how to make a decision.
"Life and death determined by fate!"
"Leave it to Lao He! The five of us will be bait, searching for that slim opportunity."
"Be vigilant for attacks from above."
Everyone nodded.
...
(translated by begs)