Volume One, Chapter 37: Level-Fifteen Skill: Blade Rush!
The long sword plunged into Bai Tingting’s chest, and fresh blood flowed wildly down the blade.
"But my promises don't apply to enemies!"
"H—h—you, you will... go to hell..."
[Ding! Killed Lv10 Bai Tingting, EXP +50.]
Li Chuan silently retracted his long sword.
"Damn! That feels much better now!"
"No, I need to finish the mission quickly. Xiao Lu seems to be in danger!"
Li Chuan felt a surge of anxiety and worry. Although he had hired the girl Lin Yaoyao to guard Xiao Lu, the Sanying Alliance players were numerous and possessed many spiritual plants. Would that woman really risk her life to protect someone else's spiritual plant for a mere empty promise? The answer was obvious; if it were Li Chuan, he would likely have run away, too.
"Huh? What is this?"
While picking up the loot dropped by the enemy, Li Chuan discovered something unusual.
[Handheld L-Zone Surveillance Monitor: White]
[A low-precision instrument capable of monitoring specific areas.]
It was a tablet-like piece of technology, currently streaming dozens of live feeds. Li Chuan understood now—he realized why those three bastards had been lying in ambush at the crossroads waiting for him. They had obtained this surveillance device first and spotted him through it.
Having figured out the cause and effect, Li Chuan identified the room with the most experimental subjects on the screen and rushed over.
...
In the spacious laboratory, Li Chuan chained the metal door shut and began the slaughter!
[Ding! Killed Lv20 Low-level Biochemical Subject (Commander) *1, EXP +100]
[Ding! Killed...]
...
[You have completed the daily mission: Those filthy bugs have dirtied my laboratory, is there anyone willing to help me clean up?]
[Mission Progress: Failed Experiments 78/50]
[Obtained Mission Rewards: Copper Coins *200, EXP *200, Black Iron Treasure Chest *1, Temporary Photosynthetic Chamber (Green) *1.]
[Ding! Player 'Li Chuan' has reached max EXP, Level +1, gained 5 Free Attribute Points.]
...
In the Forbidden Land, the twin suns rose, scorching the already parched earth like raging fire. The snowmelt from the thick snow cover seemed to evaporate into thin air; within an hour, the withered forest returned to the dry state it was in when everyone first arrived.
Bang! Crack! Crash!
Xiao Lu swung its giant, hammer-like flower bud, smashing wildly at the surrounding spiritual plants. However, just as it shattered two of the plants, its vines were suddenly constricted by a dense thicket of long, thin blades of grass.
Whoosh!
A figure, light as a swallow, darted forward. With a few swift flashes of the serrated short blade in her hand, she freed Xiao Lu’s entangled vines.
"Black Friday! Are you determined to set yourself against our Sanying Alliance?"
The girl stood atop the flower bud as it was pulled back to Xiao Lu’s main body.
"Against you? You? Hehe, laughable."
A female player cursed, "You bitch, if you don't want to go against us, then get lost! Don't get in the way of our business."
The girl jumped onto one of Xiao Lu’s branches. "I have no interest in your business, but I have to protect this big guy."
"There’s a reward, you know—a Golden Key."
"But come to think of it, why are you all so obsessed with dealing with this big guy? Don't you all need to go find keys yourselves?"
Xu Fengyun stood behind his War-Hammer Ancient Tree. "The method to obtain the keys has already been posted on the channel. Getting them is only a matter of time, but before we get the keys, this murderer’s spiritual plant must not remain! We must punish evil and promote good."
Lin Yaoyao hoped these people would talk more to stall for time. "Righteous and imposing! Great and bright! And also! Immeasurable merit, the moral high ground! Hehe, that look on your face is more radiant than a living Bodhisattva, isn't it?"
"Enough nonsense! If you dare to block us again, we'll kill you too!"
"War-Hammer Ancient Tree! Kill them!"
The Sanying Alliance had eight spiritual plants participating in the siege of Xiao Lu, all of which were Green grade or higher. The Thousand-Silk Grass and the War-Hammer Ancient Tree were even Blue grade. Even though Xiao Lu had reached Level 4 and grown much larger, it only had one vine capable of attacking; if restrained, it could only wait for death. It had been restrained several times already, and each time, the girl had come to its rescue.
If it attacked, it would be controlled; if it didn't attack, it couldn't win!
The War-Hammer Ancient Tree raised its massive wooden mallet again. Xiao Lu had no choice but to swing its flower bud around, fiercely meeting the War-Hammer Ancient Tree head-on.
Boom!
The two collided, and wood chips flew. Countless strands of Thousand-Silk Grass once again wound around the vines behind Xiao Lu’s flower bud. The girl shrugged, gripped her dagger, and charged out again.
Whoosh.
But this time, the opponent was prepared. A massive leaf sprayed directly onto her, wrapping her up and slamming her to the ground.
Thwack!
"Good! Excellent!"
"Haha, this murderer’s spiritual plant is surely doomed! Everyone, hurry up and attack its trunk!"
...
Xu Fengyun was in high spirits, fantasizing about defeating that pervert who "only touches flowers and avoids grass," devouring his orange Evolution Core, becoming the top player in the region, and winning the heart of the Ice Fairy.
Puchi!
A gleaming blade tip suddenly erupted from his chest.
"Xu Fengyun! Go to hell and keep your two brothers company."
Xu Fengyun’s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Seeing that it was Li Chuan who had killed him, this smooth-talking, high-quality socialite could only close his eyes in unwillingness.
Li Chuan pulled out his piercing dagger, scanned the battlefield, and then sprinted toward the spiritual plant covered in dense, thin blades of grass. Xu Fengyun’s corpse slumped to the ground, drawing no attention.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The War-Hammer Ancient Tree hammered away at Xiao Lu’s trunk, leaving its branches and leaves scattered and in a miserable state. Seeing the big tree’s vines under control, the Sanying Alliance players attacked Xiao Lu’s trunk like madmen.
The girl in black broke free from the lotus leaf and charged into the crowd of players. Her dagger danced—slash, slash, slash! She began an indiscriminate attack.
"Don't make me say I'll do something and then not do it! You damn trash."
Beside the Blue-grade spiritual plant 'Thousand-Silk Grass,' Li Chuan gripped his short blades tightly, a mysterious wind stirring his hair.
Fire Element Enchantment! Blade—Impact!
A white blade of light, four or five meters long, suddenly pierced through the main trunk of the Thousand-Silk Grass.
[Critical Hit — 9999!]
Level 15 Jungle Hunter skill, Blade Impact: Consumes 5 mana to fire a sharp blade of light, dealing high damage equal to Strength * 5 within a five-meter straight line, with a chance for up to a 10x critical hit!
With the high damage, high critical multiplier, and the fact that Li Chuan hit the fatal weak point of the Thousand-Silk Grass, it was devastating.
[Ding! Killed Lv2 Thousand-Silk Grass (Leader) *1, EXP +20]
The Thousand-Silk Grass lost its vitality in an instant, and the blades of grass entangling Xiao Lu’s vines went limp. Xiao Lu immediately broke free, retracted its flower bud, and then swung it like a meteor hammer, smashing it into the branches of the War-Hammer Ancient Tree with a loud boom.
Crack! Wood chips flew.
Snap! The branch broke!
Crash!
Li Chuan didn't stand idle either. After killing the Thousand-Silk Grass, he charged straight toward Xiao Lu’s trunk like a crazed lion.
"You brought this death upon yourselves! I’ll grant your wish!"
Li Chuan roared, gripped his piercing dagger in reverse, and lunged into the fray. Lin Yaoyao saw Li Chuan’s silhouette, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
"Hehe, big guy, our savior is back! Kill, kill, kill them all! Kill this bunch of brainless fools!"
Bang!
The War-Hammer Ancient Tree was snapped in half at the waist.
[Ding! Killed Lv2 War-Hammer Ancient Tree (Leader) *1, EXP +20]
[Ding! Killed Lv10 Qiu Lianyu, Gold Coins +6, EXP +100]
...
With the War-Hammer Ancient Tree dead, none of the remaining spiritual plants could withstand a single blow from Xiao Lu. In less than a minute, they were all smashed to pieces. The giant flower bud turned its head and charged toward Li Chuan and the girl, who were still being besieged, moving like a speeding truck.
Whoosh—