Chapter 68: This Enemy Is Too Weak
No. 11 hummed a cheerful tune as he strolled deeper into the forest.
It had taken considerable effort to travel from District 48 to District 51, but fortunately, his military connections had secured him a direct airship ride. What he hadn't expected was that Player No. 10 would already be in the Evil Dragon Forest—saving him even more trouble.
Killing someone here meant he wouldn't have to worry about the Holy Department tracking him down.
According to his intel, Player No. 10 had only recently advanced to a first-stage spirit master. At this stage, while they might possess several spirit garments, their proficiency would still be lacking. Dealing with them shouldn't be difficult.
Eliminating No. 10 would grant him double life points in the hunting phase—8 points total. Add the 3-point bounty for a head, and that made 11 points.
Combined with his remaining 13 points, he'd have 24.
With that many points, he could finally purchase the last spirit material he needed for his next evolution. Maybe even afford a game skill card or C-grade spirit garment.
So satisfying~
No. 11 continued humming as he pushed aside branches, soon arriving at a small clearing.
The blood moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the silent forest.
He glanced at his location card—it showed No. 10 was right here, yet no one was in sight.
"Strange."
Frowning, his pupils slit into snake-like vertical lines as he scanned the area. Still, he detected no spiritual pressure fluctuations.
"Interesting~"
He smirked. "Do you really think hiding will stop me from finding you?"
With that, he made a mocking throat-slitting gesture in the air, grinning. "Just wait, I told you I'd—"
His taunt cut off mid-sentence.
His playful expression froze, then went blank—puppet-like.
A crimson blade silently pierced through his left chest. Glimmering blood dripped from the tip, vanishing into the darkness.
The white-clad man stood behind him, voice icy. "You talk too much."
The blade withdrew with a sharp jerk.
No. 11 gasped, pain flaring before his vision blurred. As he collapsed, he barely made out the black-clad woman stepping beside her white-garbed companion.
Her confused voice reached him faintly:
"This is the enemy you mentioned? He's too weak."
"True. Didn't expect him to be this pathetic. But no matter."
Their voices faded as darkness swallowed his world.
Why... Why is No. 10 so strong?
Fear and despair clouded No. 11's dying thoughts, his final flicker of consciousness a bewildered:
"Am I really that weak?"
The white-clad man and black-clad woman stood over the corpse.
Mu Qingtong extended her bracelet-adorned right hand. A hollow-eyed soul began peeling from the corpse's brow, drawn into one of the bracelet's embedded stones.
She removed the now-glowing stone and handed it to Xia Feng. "Why keep his soul? Wouldn't killing him outright be simpler?"
"Don't ask. Let's just say it's useful."
"Suit yourself. But this soulstone is mediocre—it can only preserve a soul for three days maximum. After that, it'll disperse completely."
"I know."
Xia Feng pocketed the stone and crouched to search the body.
From the inner lining of No. 11's clothes, he retrieved four thumb-sized glass vials. Under the blood moon, they shimmered in red, yellow, blue, and green.
"Wisdom pulp, life pulp, ice silk... and Jupiter flower. Quite the haul."
He tossed all four bottles to Mu Qingtong. "Here—the Jupiter flower you needed."
The flower inside was tiny, barely half a finger's length. Mu Qingtong held it up to the moonlight, examining it closely before murmuring, "The color suggests it bloomed recently. How did you know he'd have this?"
"Don't worry about it. Point is, all your materials are ready now." Xia Feng clapped his hands and stood. "Advance to second stage. Now."
"Now?"
Mu Qingtong arched a brow, golden eyes calm. "I'm not in a rush. Why are you?"
[If the emperor isn't anxious, why are the eunuchs?]
[No—wait—if the eunuchs aren't anxious, then the emperor should be!]
[Mu Qing, my grand plan depends on you!]
Xia Feng smirked. "Fine. The road ahead will only get more dangerous anyway. Don't expect me to save you when you're in trouble~"
"I don't need your help."
"Oh? Really~"
Xia Feng arched an eyebrow. "Then maybe you should check your condition? Red eyes, darkened brows—keep this up and you'll be doomed for real."
His words struck a chord. Mu Qingtong suddenly realized her trance-like state wasn't normal. She opened her mouth to retort when countless Xia Fengs materialized around her—each grinning before drawing blades across their own throats. Blood geysered into the air as severed heads rolled to her feet like macabre offerings, painting the world crimson.
"Xia Feng... dead?" Her breath hitched. Blinking rapidly, she pressed a hand to her forehead as realization dawned—hallucinating one's deepest fear was a telltale sign of impending corruption.
This time, she truly couldn't hold on.
"What a weakling, Mu Qingtong." A familiar voice chuckled above her.
She forced her eyes open, but Xia Feng's image kept splitting—his dark pupils gazing down as fingers gently clasped her chin. Her own hands braced against his broad shoulders as she tilted her swan-like neck, golden eyes flashing with sudden clarity. Instinct made her push away, but his other arm encircled her slender waist, trapping her.
"Don't move."
Xia Feng's murmur preceded tendrils of gray mist spiraling up from her collarbone into his palm, where they dissolved completely. Clarity returned like cool water dousing flames.
"Better?" Xia Feng's smiling eyes studied her.
Her lashes fluttered. "...Acceptable. Now remove your hand."
He complied with exaggerated innocence. "Know your weakness now?"
Mu Qingtong regarded him silently before her serene gaze curved into crescent moons. Softly, she conceded:
"I'll admit it—you won this round, Mr. Xia."
"This round?" Xia Feng blinked.
Their rivalry had milestones:
First round: Spiritual pressure—tie
Second round: Appearance—tie
Third round: Tone-deafness and average IQ—tie
Fourth round: Dancing skills—tie
Fifth round: Xia Feng resisted her hypnosis while she succumbed to evil's erosion
By all metrics, she'd lost. Yet... this junior grew more intriguing by the minute.
As these thoughts danced behind her golden eyes, the black-clad woman smiled fully now. "Mr. Xia, might I trouble you for protection? I believe it's time for my advancement."
Xia Feng's pupils dilated. Finally! He nodded—then stiffened, head snapping toward the forest's inky depths.
Something powerful approached, its malignant energy carving a beeline straight for them.
(End of this chapter)