Chapter 73: Siege
The waterfall cascaded down, the surrounding rock walls covered in cracks, with some areas blasted open into gaps.
Su Xiao sat on a large rock. His injuries had been treated. After drinking the [Vitality Potion], the flesh on his chest had regenerated. As for his arms, only one crystalline arm remained.
The life-or-death battle from before had left Su Xiao exhausted, but he felt a strange vitality being absorbed by his body, gradually easing the fatigue.
Su Xiao looked up at the sun in the sky. The sunlight was no longer as blinding as before; Father Shenfu was still at it.
[Tip: You have completed your promotion mission. Upon returning to Reincarnation Paradise, you will be promoted to an Eighth Rank Contractor.]
[As the Hunter is located in the Holy Land · Chiriad, the remaining stay time in this world will not be forcibly reduced.]
[The Hunter may continue to stay in this world for 84 hours, or return to Reincarnation Paradise immediately.]
...
Seeing these prompts, Su Xiao hesitated. Should he return to Reincarnation Paradise immediately, or try to squeeze out one last bit of profit?
Given his current state, aside from missing his left arm, after drinking the [Vitality Potion], his injuries were continuously recovering. In a few more hours, his combat power would be at least 80% restored. Abilities like Demon Blade were on cooldown, but he still had the Dead Silence Descends ability.
During his fight with Rogge, Su Xiao hadn't used Dead Silence Descends. When the number of enemies was below 10, using Dead Silence Descends carried extremely high risks, potentially angering the People of Death.
Su Xiao had activated Dead Silence Descends once when the enemy count was below 10, and it had nearly enraged the People of Death.
Staying in the Holy Land · Chiriad now wasn't actually that risky. Su Xiao had obtained the return authority; even in the middle of a fight, he could forcibly return.
This way, even though several of his trump cards were spent, the risks he bore were much lower. As for the method of reaping benefits, it was simple: kill isolated Sun Warriors.
The kill rewards for Sun Warriors were absurdly high. Su Xiao felt that even after being promoted to Eighth Rank, he wouldn't get such high kill rewards. He was currently Seventh Rank, while the danger level of the Holy Land · Chiriad was Eighth Rank.
With the multipliers from unexplored areas, high-rank zones, and so on, the kill rewards were this high.
Not only that, killing a Sun Warrior yielded a Holy Spirit Chest with the 'Warrior' suffix, which could contain the Sun Warrior Set.
If it were just this set, its value would be high, but not to an exaggerated degree. But don't forget, Su Xiao had obtained a class inheritance item called [Sun Contract].
Using [Sun Contract] would transport him to the 'Holy Sacrifice Hall'. By offering 25 Soul Crystals (Complete), he could become a Sun Soldier.
Sun Soldiers were likely the superior class of Sun Warriors. What would happen if a Sun Soldier wore 8 pieces of the [Sun Warrior Set]?
Assuming Su Xiao obtained enough [Holy Spirit Chest · Warrior], the probability of getting Sun Warrior Set pieces wasn't low. Even if he only got three or five pieces, he could still activate 1 to 2 set effects.
Selling [Sun Contract] + [Sun Warrior Set] as a package would multiply their total value.
Su Xiao's current advantage was that not only could he return to Reincarnation Paradise at any time, but he was also very familiar with the terrain of the Holy Land · Chiriad. The several 'Soul Skeleton' teleportation points were a second layer of insurance.
With so many escape methods, not trying to kill more Sun Warriors would be almost like giving up easily obtainable benefits.
Su Xiao wouldn't directly clash with groups of Sun Warriors. First, he needed to find terrain advantageous to his side. Second, Bubu Wang would be responsible for luring, bringing in one Sun Warrior at a time.
After that, things were simple. Amu, who had already drunk three types of recovery potions, would tank at the front. Baha would ambush from behind the enemy. Su Xiao would use [D · Assassinate] for mid-range attacks.
He hadn't used this silenced pistol in a long time. Although it was a Legendary weapon, if used properly, its lethality wasn't weak.
In the past, Su Xiao was always the one being surrounded by elite enemies. Now, he had the chance to surround his enemies.
Having made up his mind, Su Xiao briefly explained the plan to Bubu Wang, Amu, and Baha.
"Boss, where's the location?"
Baha was eager to start. It had been a bit traumatized by Rogge earlier, and now it was finally its time to shine. As an assassination-type, it was definitely the main damage dealer.
Su Xiao stayed at the Ring Water Altar for about two hours. He buried Uchi's corpse, ignored Big Axe Bro's body, and as for Rogge's remains, they had turned into a black tree growing within the Ring Water Altar.
After his injuries stabilized, Su Xiao first rushed to the Chiriad Royal City · Prayer Place, using the Soul Skeleton there to teleport to the King's Palace · Right Side Hall.
The black reverse incense smoke faded, and Su Xiao arrived in the Right Side Hall. The big hole Big Axe Bro had smashed in the wall could serve as a door. After locking the metal door nearby from the inside, this place became a siege terrain.
"Woof."
Bubu Wang barked once and ran out of the hall. It was responsible for finding Sun Warriors. Carrying a fragment of the Dark Mask, Bubu Wang's aggro with the Sun Warriors was absolutely maxed out.
Su Xiao took out 600 7.62mm hydrogen alloy bullets, ammunition for D · Assassinate. After his Gun Mastery reached Lv.5, he could infuse Azure Steel Shadow Energy into the bullets. After leaving the barrel, the energy loss rate was between 30% and 75%; the closer the distance, the lower the loss rate.
Su Xiao grabbed a dozen bullets. On his right hand, made of crystal, blue arcs surged. A few seconds later, he released his hand. The bullets in his hand were covered in blue patterns.
He tossed these bullets to Amu, who began loading them into empty magazines for Su Xiao.
More than ten minutes later, faint running sounds could be heard.
"Woof!"
Bubu Wang rushed into the Right Side Hall. As soon as it ran in, it blended into the environment.
A Sun Warrior, his body covered in armor plates and his pupils golden, charged into the hall. He held a war spear, and at the center of his chest was a golden-red ring.
"Enemy, die."
Sun Warriors were the type to say little and do much. As soon as he entered, he charged straight at Su Xiao. This highlighted the usefulness of the Charm Attribute.
"Moo."
Amu stepped forward to meet him, an ice shield on his left hand and the Dragonheart Axe in his right.
With a clang, the Dragonheart Axe clashed with the war spear. Although Amu was tough, his strength was lower than the Sun Warrior's.
Ssshhh~
Baha's claws swept across the back of the Sun Warrior's neck, tearing off armor plates and a strip of flesh along with them.
Several dozen meters away, Su Xiao raised his gun with his one arm, aimed, and pulled the trigger.
Pfft, pfft, pfft...
Bullets hit the Sun Warrior's head one after another. The area around the Sun Warrior immediately fell silent. This was D · Assassinate's ability: hitting an enemy's head spread a 3-meter diameter zone of silence.
Not only that, D · Assassinate's 'Skull Shatter (Passive)', when hitting an enemy's head, increased bullet attack power by 45%. On top of that, Azure Steel Shadow Energy was attached, dealing considerable damage.
Several bullets were embedded in the Sun Warrior's head. He swung his war spear horizontally, forcing Amu back, then charged straight at Su Xiao with astonishing momentum.
With a pfft, a bullet left a spiral wind trail in the air, hitting the Sun Warrior's knee, slowing him down.
Pfft, pfft, pfft.
Three more shots to the head, and then the gun was empty. D · Assassinate's magazine capacity was 12 rounds. Su Xiao ejected the magazine, and Bubu Wang beside him picked up a fresh magazine.
Heavy footsteps came from in front of Su Xiao. Ice spread as Amu charged in, swinging his axe horizontally, nearly knocking the Sun Warrior down. Baha also appeared behind the Sun Warrior.
Su Xiao raised his gun again, firing a shot into the Sun Warrior's eye socket.
Ten minutes later, the Sun Warrior, with over 40 bullets embedded in his head, his nape nearly torn apart, and his body covered in frost, fell with a thud.
[Tip: You have killed a Sun Warrior.]
[You have gained 1.27% World Source.]
[You have gained 102 Soul Coins.]
[You have gained Holy Spirit Chest · Warrior.]
...
The World Source gained was much less than the last time he killed a Sun Warrior. The Soul Coins gained were similar. Su Xiao speculated that the Sun Warrior in the dungeon was probably some kind of guide or leader. The kill prompt had included a name, which said a lot.
Unfortunately, Su Xiao hadn't mastered the Holy Land's language at the time and missed that opportunity. There was no helping it; he couldn't do everything perfectly.
The battle ended. Su Xiao had managed to kill a Sun Warrior at such a low cost due to accumulated advantages: sufficient knowledge of the terrain, plus defeating Rogge and holding back major enemies like Father Shenfu.
Otherwise, Su Xiao would never have lured and killed a Sun Warrior this way. The risk was too high. If Rogge were still alive and discovered this, a large group of Sun Warriors would have come.
With this start, Su Xiao's team gained more experience in sieging Sun Warriors. The only problem was that isolated Sun Warriors weren't easy to find.
Su Xiao was currently injured. Amu wasn't much better off. Baha was in a similar state. Bubu was limping slightly on its hind leg when running. Engaging multiple Sun Warriors simultaneously in this condition would be very unwise.
Therefore, Su Xiao spent most of his time waiting. But it was worth it. After 14 hours of waiting and sieging, they had lured and killed 10 Sun Warriors.
By now, Amu was practically on fire. The reason was that being injured by a Sun Warrior inflicted a continuous 'Fire Scorch' effect, dealing 26 points of True Flame Burn damage per second. This state lasted nearly three hours.
Su Xiao now understood why Father Shenfu kept drinking recovery potions after being injured by a Sun Warrior.
Besides this, Su Xiao also remembered the 'Immunity Constitution' in the Soul Shop. This constitution was used to reduce the damage from 'Fire Scorch'.
If he planned to fight Sun Warriors in the Holy Land for an extended period, he would need to obtain this constitution.
For now, it wasn't necessary. They were only dealing with one Sun Warrior at a time. Besides, Amu's 'Ice Flame Life (Ultimate Ability Lv.30 · Passive)' meant the lower his health, the stronger his recovery.
"Boss, do you hear something?"
Baha spoke, listening intently to the distant sounds.
"Woo-woof~"
Bubu Wang came running. It executed a perfect U-shaped drift, sliding in through the big hole in the wall, then crashed headfirst into the inner wall. It was a very skillful crash.
"Time to go back."
Su Xiao stood up from the ground and activated the return authority.
The situation was that Bubu Wang simply couldn't find any more isolated Sun Warriors. There were quite a few Sun Warriors in the Royal City, for example, on the 'King's Path' in the Royal City, where several hundred Sun Warriors stood guard.
Su Xiao had maximized the benefits he could obtain. As for other potential gains, given his current state, he simply couldn't explore them. Based on the intelligence he had, there were at least five more boss-level enemies in the Holy Land.