Chapter 91: Ambushed
Su Xiao had just finished reviewing the prompts when he was teleported out of Reincarnation Paradise, returning to the second floor of the Accessory Shop.
The prompts were still before his eyes. This was the first time Su Xiao had received this type of mission. If he handled it quickly, he could rest for 3–4 days in the Real World, and the rewards were far too generous to refuse.
Obtaining 100 [Diamond Honor Medals] through an Lv.3 Brand Level was itself a high reward. In the past, only killing Violators or completing Hunt missions yielded [Diamond Honor Medals].
Beyond that, having his Brand Level reduced by 3 levels was an even greater gain for Su Xiao.
For a long time, his Brand Level had skyrocketed like a rocket. While his strength increased rapidly, it lacked some foundation. He had no time to settle; he could only keep growing stronger to face more dangerous worlds and fiercer enemies.
Su Xiao's current Brand Level was Lv.76. At this rate, after two more worlds, he would face the assessment for promotion to Ninth Rank.
Calculating this way, in Eighth Rank, he would only experience five worlds total: four worlds of frantic raising his Brand Level, and the last world being the promotion assessment.
This reminded Su Xiao of a female Contractor named Mizuki, who once said: 'Brand Level? Isn't that something that improves by chance? Sometimes it takes two or three worlds to go up one level. How could it increase too fast? Brand Level is a good thing—why would you complain about having a high one?'
In reality, if Mizuki had experienced a world progress that raised her Brand Level by 4 levels, she wouldn't think that way. Su Xiao had experienced this, and more than once.
If he could reduce his Brand Level by 3 levels, it would be like he had 'freeloaded' a world—how wonderful.
Thinking this, Su Xiao accepted the Reality Achievement Mission.
[Reality Achievement Mission: Eliminate the Aberrant Entity.]
Difficulty Level: Adaptive
Mission Brief: 4 hours and 25 minutes ago, Contractor 120059 (Eighth Rank) returned to the Real World. During their time in an Eighth Rank Primordial World, they were invaded by an 'Foreign Seed.' During the stripping process after returning to Reincarnation Paradise, Contractor 120059 and the 'Foreign Seed' showed signs of assimilation. There is an 86.7% probability that Contractor 120059 will absorb the 'Foreign Seed.' Given that Contractor 120059 has participated in multiple World Wars, forced execution is not imposed.
Upon returning to the Real World, due to Contractor 120059's severe emotional fluctuations, the 'Foreign Seed' germinated, partially devouring their consciousness. If allowed to worsen, it will cause large-scale destruction in the Real World (open branch list for Hunter to view Contractor 120059's address and other data).
During this mission, the Hunter must not involve too many unrelated individuals. Only Contractor 120059 is the primary cleaning target.
Mission Duration: 3 natural days.
Mission Reward: Brand Level Exchange Permission · One time.
Mission Penalty: Unable to return to the Real World for 2 world progresses.
…
Su Xiao roughly understood the situation. An Eighth Rank Contractor had brought something called an 'Foreign Seed' from a Primordial World back to the Real World. Now it had germinated and needed to be eliminated.
In an Eighth Rank Primordial World, the 'Foreign Seed' was dangerous but not uncontrollable. However, in the Real World, the early stages of its growth would affect many people. This was an Eighth Rank transcendent object, and Su Xiao's task was to nip this danger in the bud.
Su Xiao checked the mission branch data. Contractor 120059 was named Feng Xiao—whether this was a code name or real name was unclear and unimportant.
The target lived in a neighboring city. Considering possible complications, driving there was better. Though the mission data seemed detailed, some key intelligence was still unknown.
The real trouble was that the 'Foreign Seed' could not only reside in a Contractor's body but also in objects, or even ordinary people. Through a unique, hidden fluctuation, it would continuously affect its surroundings. Left unchecked, soon there would be no living things in the neighboring city.
Su Xiao's task was to reach the neighboring city as quickly as possible. Once he arrived, the 'Foreign Seed' would sense his presence and dare not act recklessly. After leaving its host, it became an independent consciousness with intelligence, extremely cunning, and its danger level was assessed as S.
This danger assessment came from a certain Eighth Rank Primordial World, where there was an organization that contained/imprisoned such entities.
Weighing the situation, Su Xiao decided to bring Bubu Wang and Baha along, leaving Amu and Beini to guard the shop. Dealing with this thing required combat ability, but more importantly, on-the-spot judgment and observation. Though dangerous, it might not necessarily require a fight.
Leaving the Accessory Shop, Su Xiao approached his neighbor Ma Fatty's store. Just as he was about to knock on the bedroom door, he heard indescribable sounds from inside.
Su Xiao took out a death duel interruption token and sat on a pile of funeral paper to wait. Ma Fatty, the Feng Shui master, hadn't had business in a long time and was always complaining about being broke.
A few minutes later, Ma Fatty came out of the bedroom, holding up his pants with one hand. Seeing Su Xiao, he looked a bit embarrassed.
"Ma Fatty, quite the hobby, doing this in broad daylight."
Baha teased. Ma Fatty smiled and said, "Occasionally, occasionally."
"Your old flame again?"
"How could it be? It's my ex-wife."
As Ma Fatty spoke, a heavily made-up woman emerged from the bedroom, opened her palm to Ma Fatty, clearly demanding money. This made Ma Fatty even more embarrassed.
After a moment, Ma Fatty lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and asked, "Su Xiao, what do you need me for?"
"Borrow the car."
"Didn't you buy one before?"
Ma Fatty pulled out the car keys as he spoke, but just as he was about to toss them, he thought of something.
"Where are you going? If it's a gold rush, count me in?"
"It's not."
"Don't say that. I'm free anyway, take me along."
Ma Fatty said this, but inside he was apprehensive. He owed Su Xiao many favors and planned to repay some this time.
"I'll be your driver. Don't worry, if danger comes, I'll be the first to run. With my 200-plus pounds, I can take a beating. Last time I told fortunes, six people ganged up on me, and I didn't give in. I even scammed them for 30,000. Awesome, right?"
"..."
Su Xiao said nothing. Even if there was a fight this time, it would be within a barrier space, not involving Ma Fatty much.
A few minutes later, Ma Fatty sat in the driver's seat of the SUV. He started the engine and drove onto the main road, heading straight for the neighboring city.
…
Drip, drip.
Water from the faucet dripped into the sink. This was a clean, tidy kitchen. The servants had just left, and the owners weren't home. This family was lucky—a monster that had come to feed had taken over the place.
In the corner of the kitchen, a large pile of bones was stacked, covered in teeth marks. The bones were thick, probably cow bones, with not a shred of meat left, as if licked by a large feline with a barbed tongue. Moreover, the surrounding cabinets were filled with various cuts of fresh meat still on the bone, conservatively estimated at over a hundred pounds.
A figure crouched in the kitchen. A horrifying scene unfolded: the surrounding fresh meat seemed to be drawn out like threads, turning into strands of flesh that vanished into his body.
"Not enough. I need, more."
The man grinned, the corners of his mouth nearly reaching his ears. His mouth was full of needle-like teeth, densely packed together.
"This is, a wonderful… place. I'll use this… as a breeding ground."
The man shifted his gaze. He sensed someone appear in the adjacent building. He had tracked them here based on their residual aura. This person was the strongest individual in the city. According to their convention, wherever they went, they first eliminated the strongest individual, then occupied the city, using it as a starting point to develop and expand.
At the same time, in the neighboring villa, Gulu landed from above onto a soft bed. She stretched, habitually sensing her surroundings. Before she could extend her perception far, the aura in the adjacent building made her sit up. The feeling was unmistakable—it had already locked onto her.
"What is this thing? Are there wild monsters in the Real World too?"
Gulu jumped off the bed. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a face appearing on the wall. The eyes of this face were staring at her. In an instant, Gulu stopped moving. Her perception was screaming warnings. Instinct told her she had to maintain eye contact with these eyes and not move her body randomly, or the faint pulling sensation around her would tear her into shreds.
Gulu was incredibly unlucky. She hadn't even returned home before being targeted. The monster in the wall had been ambushing her for a while, having tracked her residual aura from her home to this spot.
Just as Gulu was about to fight for her life, she suddenly received a prompt from Reincarnation Paradise. Seeing the Contractor number 13013, Gulu almost blurted out: 'Father, come save me.'