Chapter 203-3: Wandering Soul at the Village Entrance, Lord Mode (3) |
Under the waxing moon mode, the Emperor’s Mound was on hard mode. Normal player squads could only be abused here.
Only large guilds had the qualifications to run rampant here. After all, even Evil Entities with Hunt Levels over 80 could not withstand one round of focused bombardment from several thousand or even tens of thousands of players.
“Let’s try.”
Although he had no confidence, their combat power could no longer be calculated by Inherited soul level.
The attribute bonuses brought by body tempering level fully allowed them to fight above their level, but whether they could defeat the Dark Scarecrow was still unknown.
“Kill.”
Li Zheng suddenly clenched his fist at this moment. Crimson airstreams emerged from under his feet, rippling outward in layers of energy waves.
Once his body was wrapped in the crimson airstream, he was the first to strike.
His right fist, wrapped in crimson airflow, stored power while he ran, smashing toward the Dark Scarecrow’s head like a fierce tiger pouncing on its prey.
Bang.
After the Dark Scarecrow’s head tilted back 45 degrees, it abruptly returned to place. The two ruby-like eyes burst with blood light, staring fixedly at the approaching Li Zheng.
Li Zheng felt as if his body had sunk into a quagmire, and the fist he swung forward advanced with extreme difficulty.
Boom.
The release of spiritual power intensified continuously. Just as Li Zheng’s fist was about to hit the scarecrow, it was instantly bounced away by an invisible force.
As his body flew backward, Family-Sharing Stepdad activated the Inherited soul trait Blood Chain Pull. A blood-colored chain suddenly shot out, coiled around his waist, and a sudden downward tug yanked him back to the ground.
“Brother Li, let me handle it.”
As the only damage-soaking tank of the team, Family-Sharing Stepdad grinned, then charged straight at the Dark Scarecrow.
His left hand condensed a Rock Shield while running.
Just then, a mental shockwave swept over again.
Family-Sharing Stepdad decisively activated the Inherited soul trait Unyielding, dispersing the invisible force shrouding his body.
Then a Heavy Hammer slammed hard into the Dark Scarecrow’s chest. However, that strike did not cause any damage, nor did it inflict any stun.
It was evident from the effect judgment that the stun effect from Heavy Hammer could not break through the Dark Scarecrow’s mental strength defense.
Thick ink-like dark mist gushed from the scarecrow’s withered fingertips, surging like a tide toward the Grind Kings.
Realizing this was area damage, Family-Sharing Stepdad decisively activated the Life Link trait, connecting to Li Zheng, who was closest to him.
Then a barrage of dense Inkflame fireballs came flying from afar, continuously knocking the Dark Scarecrow’s figure backward as black flames blazed upon it.
At the initial exchange, Li Zheng and the other Grind Kings players felt the pressure.
This Dark Scarecrow was one of the rare spirit-type Evil Entities. Apart from Family-Sharing Stepdad being able to block the invisible mental shockwaves, it was difficult even for Li Zheng to get close.
Although the ranged attacks from Murderous Intent Rising, Dirt Poor, and the others could deal damage, the damage was truly limited.
The Dark Scarecrow could generate a dark shield with its mental power, easily blocking ranged physical and magical damage output offensives.
During the entanglement, Li Zheng drank potions several times to restore his health.
Fortunately, their cooperation was very tacit.
As long as Family-Sharing Stepdad did not fall, they had the ability to wear this Dark Scarecrow down to death.
Just as victory was within reach, the Death Scarecrow suddenly split its mouth open and let out a piercing shriek.
The sound waves swept over. Even Dirt Poor and the others in the distance were affected, all falling into a brief daze.
“Not good, other derivative Evil Entities are approaching nearby.”
Dirt Poor, who had kept the Owl-Headed Fiend perception state active the whole time, promptly warned.
“Run, or continue.”
“Kill.” Li Zheng chose to continue fighting without hesitation.
At this moment, the Dark Scarecrow’s mental power shield was already riddled with holes, and the straw-woven body was also in tatters.
With victory in sight, he did not want to leave in a sorry state.
With Vital Qi swirling around him, Li Zheng suddenly activated the Force Savage trait. His right fist slammed hard against the dark shield.
Bang.
While his figure was once again bounced away by a mental shockwave, the dark shield on the surface of the scarecrow also shattered.
As he flew backward, Li Zheng decisively raised his hand. Vitality condensed into a blood-colored chain in his palm. In midair he twisted his body to borrow force and flung it toward the Dark Scarecrow.
The blood-colored chain slithered through the air like a spirit serpent and instantly wrapped around the scarecrow’s neck.
Li Zheng gave a fierce yank, pulling himself toward the scarecrow.
The scarecrow was also forced upward into the air.
“Meteor Fist.”
With Extreme Speed cranked to the maximum, his right fist, wrapped in Vital Qi, twitched as if cramping, transforming into countless fist shadows that blasted out.
Just then a teammate tossed over the Bloodburn trait. His muscles instantly swelled as if inflated.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The ferocious offensive fell like rain. The scarecrow’s body was pounded to pieces in midair, and the Challenger Notification sounded in the minds of the Grind Kings players.
After white light flickered over Li Zheng, his main Inherited soul, Vital Qi, rose to level 50.
Just as he landed, he heard Dirt Poor exclaim in the chat channel.
“Brother Li, big ones incoming.”
He snapped his head around. Three Headless Riders wielding scythes were charging from the distance.
They rode massive Flaming Bone Horses, the hooves pounding the ground with heavy, powerful thuds as if they would crush the earth.
Around each Headless Rider swirled tangible dark fog, as if countless wronged souls were being drawn to their bodies.
The huge scythes in their hands glimmered with a cold, ghostly light. Now they were raised high, and faint dark red blood patterns flickered along the blades.
As the Headless Riders rapidly closed in, the surrounding temperature plummeted. The cold was like needles, piercing to the marrow.
Darkness spread like a vast curtain, quickly shrouding everything with the Headless Riders as its source.
The Analysis ability swept over.
[Nightmare Rider (derivative Evil Entity)]
Hunt Level: 87
Target Introduction: A derivative Evil Entity shrouded in a death aura, often appearing during the waxing moon or full moon scenes. Its full moon scene form is the End Knight. It possesses powerful physical attack ability and defense, and the death aura around it continuously inflicts a weakened state on nearby targets.
—
Upon discovering that the assailants were three derivative Evil Entities with Hunt Level 87, Li Zheng and the others decisively turned and sprinted for their lives.
There was no suspense in this fight.
To fight was to die. Only by running could there be a sliver of life.
“Brother Li, wait for us, protect the mages.”
“Protect what. You run the other way and buy me time to escape. I can actually get away. You have short legs, so you might as well die.”
Hearing Dirt Poor’s call, Li Zheng decisively quickened his pace.
Speed did not matter here. You only needed to run faster than your teammates to have a chance at living.
Teammates had to be abandoned when it was time to abandon them.
Although a one-hour revival cooldown did not count for much, living was obviously more meaningful than dying.
Family-Sharing Stepdad closely followed at this time as well.
“Family, why are you following me. As the team’s damage-soaking tank, go protect the teammates behind.”
Facing the question, Family-Sharing Stepdad replied righteously.
“Brother Li, you are my teammate. I am sticking close to you, protecting your safety.”
Li Zheng was just about to respond when he heard Dirt Poor’s miserable scream from behind.
Looking back, Dirt Poor was flicked into the air by a Nightmare Rider’s scythe. From afar he raised his middle finger toward them.
“Good brothers, for life.”
Beside Dirt Poor, Murderous Intent Rising calmly took a piece of grilled fish from his inventory, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. He had already given up on running and awaited death’s arrival.
Leopard-Headed F2P and the rest of the teammates also adopted stances of facing death head-on.
Li Zheng decisively picked up his running speed at this moment.
“Extreme Speed, on.”
In Extreme Speed mode, Li Zheng’s running speed suddenly increased, gradually opening up a gap with Family-Sharing Stepdad.
“Blood Chain Pull, Brother Li, help me.”
Just when Li Zheng thought he was about to escape, a blood-colored chain suddenly coiled around his waist. A tremendous force surged from behind and yanked him backward into a tumble.
Looking back, Family-Sharing Stepdad’s smiling face magnified before his eyes.
The moment he hit the ground, Family-Sharing Stepdad raised his Rock Shield and slammed it down toward Li Zheng’s head.
“Brother Li, sorry about this.”
Bang.
With the Heavy Hammer trait unleashed, Li Zheng instantly fell into a hazy, dazed state.
Fortunately, he had embedded the Unyielding Inherited soul and dispersed this negative state in an instant.
Glancing back at the rapidly charging Nightmare Riders, he decisively activated Extreme Speed again and sprinted madly toward the entrance of Emperor’s Mound Village.
“Family, you pulling dirty tricks on me.”
“All for the sake of living.”
“Pah.”
With a spit of contempt, the battle armor on Li Zheng’s body turned into countless pixels mid-run and condensed beside him into a Swift-Sword flyer.
His figure leaped up, accelerating into flight by sword-riding.
Within a few breaths, he flew past Family-Sharing Stepdad again.
To prevent being yanked back again, he decisively widened the distance from Family-Sharing Stepdad.
“See you.”
Looking down, he saw that Family-Sharing Stepdad had already been caught by the Nightmare Riders and was about to enter the small dark room.
Emperor’s Mound Village was within arm’s reach ahead, and a smile rose in Li Zheng’s eyes.
But just then, Family-Sharing Stepdad’s laughter sounded in his mind.
“Brother Li, much obliged.”
As the words fell, a strong sense of weightlessness surged over him.
When his vision cleared, he found a ghostly-glowing scythe cleaving straight toward him, the scent of decay from the Nightmare Rider curling around his nose.
Bang.
The scythe hacked against his protective Vital Qi. Half of Li Zheng’s body was smashed into the ground. He felt his qi and blood churn within, and fresh blood trickled from his nostrils.
Looking into the distance, Family-Sharing Stepdad was stepping on his Swift-Sword flyer, ramming straight toward the walls of Emperor’s Mound Village.
“As the team’s damage-soaking tank, who taught you to use Star Shift like this. Shameless.”
“Heaven and earth turning, shifting forms and positions. Thanks to Brother Li Zheng for sponsoring my escape mileage. Let us reunite in an hour.” At this moment Family-Sharing Stepdad turned, cupped his fists with a solemn expression, and said.
“Until we meet again.”
With that, his figure passed through the walls of Emperor’s Mound Village and vanished. The flyer under his feet automatically disassembled into pixels and drifted back toward Li Zheng.
“Beast.”
Li Zheng was dumbfounded.
He had not expected that in the end Family-Sharing Stepdad would be the one to escape, while he had become the stepping stone for the other’s survival.
“Shameless, too shameless.”
Fuming, Li Zheng gathered Vital Qi and punched at the Nightmare Rider, only to be chopped into the ground by a single scythe strike.
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