Chapter 56: The Strongest?
Among the enemy contractors, Orlandi was positioned on the outer ring of the defense line, while Sacred Hymn was at the center. One outside, one inside; without these two, the enemy contractors’ situation would be far worse.
Just as Su Xiao was observing his surroundings from atop the elevator platform, a message from Baha appeared before him via the team channel—it was a set of coordinates.
Having pinpointed the coordinates, Su Xiao’s blood energy erupted. This eruption was completely different from before. The blood energy first spread outward, then abruptly converged back, forming a phantom figure around him that resembled both a human and a beast.
This blood energy phantom was about 10 meters tall. Its form resembled the fierce beast *Fei*. The upper body was human-like, the left hand a ferocious beast claw with bone spurs at the elbow and scales on the arm, while the right arm was human but had only three fingers—thumb, index, and middle—no ring or pinky.
Once the blood energy phantom was fully formed, a blood spear quickly materialized in Su Xiao’s hand.
This blood spear consumed 15% of his blood energy, making it the strongest and most penetrating blood spear. Additionally, fragments of Banishment had been integrated into it, further enhancing its flight speed and penetration.
Su Xiao tossed the nearly four-meter-long blood spear into the air, and it landed in the phantom’s hand.
He then took out an oversized strongbow crafted by Reid. Due to insufficient Soul Coins, this weapon was made on credit.
Su Xiao tossed the bow, which was even taller than himself, into the phantom’s hand.
The blood energy phantom held the bow in its left hand and the four-meter blood spear in its right, using the spear as an arrow. It nocked the spear and drew the bowstring.
*Crack, crack, crack…*
The harsh sound of the bow being drawn echoed. Within the battle group several dozen meters away, six of the twelve "Dual-Blade Mad Dogs" immediately abandoned their enemies and charged forward. The reason was that they sensed if this blood spear was fired, their dense formation would result in a chain of them being pierced through.
Su Xiao didn’t pay attention to Sacred Hymn’s side. The message he had just received was that Baha had detected spatial fluctuations.
Su Xiao manipulated the blood energy phantom, aiming the spear tip at the coordinate marker provided by Baha.
Almost simultaneously, several hundred meters away, a dozen contractors huddled together. At the center, a man in a white robe crouched, pressing down on a scroll.
The white-robed man was activating a large-scale teleportation item. He intended to teleport all contractors and boar warriors within a certain range to a distant location, breaking the siege.
Teleporting so many targets without pre-laid formations took time, unlike single-person spatial items.
As the white-robed man focused on activating the scroll, his tightly shut eyes suddenly flew open.
"Protect me!"
The white-robed man shouted. In that instant, his perception had caught a fatal sense of danger, making his throat dry and his bladder tighten.
Hearing this shout, a burly shield-wielding tank immediately stepped in front of him, grinning as he said, "Leave it to me."
Hearing this, the white-robed man felt a warmth in his heart and nodded solemnly at the burly tank.
The burly tank grinned and gave a thumbs-up, as if to say, ‘We’re good brothers.’
Several hundred meters away, the blood energy phantom had fully drawn the bow. Su Xiao manipulated the phantom, releasing the three fingers holding the end of the blood spear.
*Boom!!*
A sonic boom erupted. As the blood spear shot out, a white shockwave spread, and the spear left a straight blood-red trail.
A moment before the blood spear was fired, at the target point.
"I’m counting on you."
The white-robed man’s sense of crisis grew stronger. The burly tank in front of him gave him some reassurance.
"Easy for you to say… like hell!"
The burly tank had clearly sensed something too. His bull-like eyes bulged. The shield that usually gave him a sense of security now felt like it was made of paper, offering no safety at all.
As a tank, the burly man burst into a side-dodge speed that would make even agility-types envious. The moment he leaped, the blood spear had already reached the white-robed man.
Several hundred meters away, Su Xiao watched from afar. A boom echoed, and mud from the ground splashed dozens of meters high like a river. The top of the soil was faintly tinged red, indicating the target had been killed.
But that wasn’t the end. After piercing the ground, the blood spear plowed through the earth like a subterranean dragon, sending dirt flying. Boar warriors on the surface were sent flying. When the spear finally stopped, a blood energy explosion occurred.
Seeing this, Su Xiao was satisfied with his newly developed technique. Though it had many flaws, it had practical combat value.
At the edge of the enemy’s circular defense line, despite being attacked from both sides, the enemy contractors hadn’t lost their fighting spirit.
Orlandi was drenched in blood. He had lost count of how many boar warriors he had killed. Though called the Demon Man, the high-intensity rapid killing was starting to tire him. Slowing down wasn’t an option; this area depended on him holding the line.
Orlandi felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. He looked ahead and saw a giant beast charging toward him.
The beast resembled a giant boar but was covered in thick black carapace armor fused with its body. Its pitch-black vertical pupils revealed intelligence, ferocity, and determination.
This monster was over 10 meters long and about 4.7 meters tall. It had six legs, each with short, sharp claws—not for attack, but for traction.
On its head was a T-shaped ramming horn, 3.8 meters wide and about half a meter thick. Inside was high-density bone, covered by a 10-centimeter layer of black carapace.
In addition, it had a nearly 4-meter-long tail, allowing for some turning during high-speed charges. This was a heavy tank.
The heavy tank’s short claws dug into the ground. It snorted white vapor from its snout.
Beside it, a short boar-man carried a large mud-stained jar. It opened the jar and poured dozens of pounds of strong liquor mixed with Living Ore powder into the heavy tank’s mouth.
After drinking, the heavy tank’s six legs tensed, claws sinking into the ground. Its heavy breathing from its chest sounded like an engine roaring. With a *boom*, it charged forward. The ground trembled with each step, like a living tank at full throttle, bearing down on Orlandi.
Watching the massive thing charge, Orlandi desperately wanted to dodge, but he couldn’t. If he did, their circular defense line would be broken, leaving them surrounded.
Orlandi pulled his fist back to his side. At a speed too fast for the naked eye, he lunged forward a short distance and punched the charging heavy tank.
*Thud!!*
A shockwave spread outward, lifting corpses from the ground. Nearby contractors felt their ears ring.
The charging heavy tank was knocked backward by Orlandi’s punch, its tail pointing skyward.
The heavy tank crashed onto its side. Its T-shaped horn cracked. It tried several times to get up but failed, blood dripping from its snout.
Orlandi remained in his punching stance. His right arm’s skin and flesh were covered in cracks. He exhaled the breath he had been holding and looked at the heavy tank with lingering fear, his gaze saying, ‘This beast is pretty tough.’
"As expected of the leader chosen by Watchful Paradise. Impressive, old pal."
Baha, flying low, spoke. Orlandi looked at Baha but said nothing. He confirmed that this was someone he couldn’t out-argue, so he chose not to humiliate himself.
"But, old pal, try blocking the remaining nine for me."
As Baha spoke, nine more heavy tanks in the distance prepared to charge.
Seeing this, even someone as strong as Orlandi felt the urge to curse. But he couldn’t—not because he was polite, but because he’d lose the verbal fight.
Orlandi was indeed strong. After blocking three heavy tanks, he couldn’t hold anymore. Not just his right arm, but his back couldn’t take it either.
"Block it!"
"You go?"
"I… I…"
A dozen contractors watched the charging heavy tanks. Normally, they wouldn’t be this desperate, but after fighting the boar warriors, they had exhausted their abilities. Now, seeing the heavy tanks, they had the will but not the strength.
Amid the roar of the heavy tanks’ charge, a stubborn shield-tank was knocked to the ground. A heavy tank rolled over him, and as subsequent tanks trampled past, his equipment burst, leaving him in his underwear.
The heavy tanks broke through the enemy contractors’ defense line like they were nothing, creating a gap. Countless boar warriors followed the tanks, splitting the contractors on both sides.
The advantage of the human wave tactic became increasingly clear. The enemy contractors were no longer just outnumbered. At the start, their numbers were 280 times smaller.
Now, it wasn’t just a 280-to-1 problem. Not all boar warriors were inexperienced in combat. Those who had hunted multiple times had gained some battlefield skills through their [Combat Instinct] ability.
A total of six heavy tanks charged into the battlefield, continuously splitting it apart. This would be the final straw that broke the camel’s back.
Su Xiao stood on the back of a heavy tank. If this dragged on, his side would surely win.
Compared to the battlefield, the Apocalypse Paradise world communication platform was equally lively. The content was:
Deer Brother (Rogue): "Have you seen the defense zone? I’m stunned. Molei’s old man is awesome!"
Hao Mei (Fengtian Guild): "Molei’s old man is awesome."
Rain Guide (Rogue): "Same."
Red Cage Fish (Ghost Soul Adventure Group): "Same."
Molei (Battle Angel): "You guys… consider my feelings."
Golden Count (War Leader): "Seems like the situation isn’t good."
Deer Brother (Rogue): "What does the Count mean? We’re about to win. If they hold there, victory is within reach."
Golden Count (War Leader): "Be cautious. Stay away from the combat zone. If anything goes wrong, flee toward Kevab Ring City immediately. I can’t protect everyone, but I’ll give you advice."
Woya (Rogue): "So suspicious."
Hao Mei (Fengtian Guild): "Count, got it. I’m near the combat zone. If something happens, I’ll cover the rear and buy these losers time to run."
Golden Count (War Leader): "What method will you use?"
Hao Mei (Fengtian Guild): "Money power."
Golden Count (War Leader): "Good."
Hao Mei (Fengtian Guild): "But I feel nothing will happen this time. Count, if you had the chance to develop local forces, would you let others help guard?"
Golden Count (War Leader): "No. This yields massive battle merits. Better to enjoy it alone."
Hao Mei (Fengtian Guild): "So, you’re worrying too much. How many times have you been betrayed by teammates? I feel sorry for you for a few seconds."
…
The world communication platform was optimistic. Except for Golden Count, the Apocalypse Paradise contractors were lying flat, waiting for an easy win.
Su Xiao closed the world communication platform. Those expecting an easy win would be disappointed.
The battlefield was chaotic. Shouts, explosions, and screams filled the air. Various energies mixed with the smell of blood and burning, creating a unique odor.
A boar warrior, drenched in blood with cuts all over its back, was nearing its limit. It looked at the sun in the sky and instinctively made a hugging gesture, feeling a sense of peace.
Its entire life had been spent in dark, stuffy, cramped mines or sleeping troughs. But at this moment, it felt its life had meaning, even as death approached.
The sun in the boar warrior’s eyes blurred. Darkness crept in from the edges of its vision. In its dying moments, it had two thoughts: first, it was satisfied to have believed in the sun; second, the food provided by the Lord was delicious—if only it could have one more meal.
This boar warrior didn’t know that today might be its lucky day.
The shouts of contractors spread. The battle had reached this point. If it dragged on, Holy Light Paradise and Watchful Paradise would surely lose.
Sacred Hymn, protected by the twelve knights, knew this too. She released her long staff. Her golden-white energy dress became more ornate. Eight golden wings of a Seraph appeared behind her, giving her an untouchable, holy aura.
Sacred Hymn shot straight into the sky, reaching a height of a hundred meters. The eight Seraph wings behind her spread wide with a *whoosh*, golden feathers fluttering.
She raised one hand, and a golden orb grew larger in her palm. Golden light began to shine down on the battlefield.
All enemy contractors’ speed and power surged. Their wounds healed visibly. The ultimate skill of the strongest eighth-rank healer in Holy Light Paradise was this powerful.
No one noticed that as Sacred Hymn ascended, a blood-red feather shattered beside Su Xiao and silently attached itself to her.
[Blood Feather · Equipment Effect: Malicious Harm (Active): The blood feather will shatter in a short time and attach to the enemy’s surface. Effect lasts 5 minutes. During this time, healing skills released by the enemy will deal equal true damage to enemy personnel.]
Just as all enemy contractors were rejoicing at their rapidly recovering health, the nature of the golden light shining down suddenly changed. The next second, all enemy contractors felt intense pain all over.
The contractors’ feelings couldn’t be described by mere cursing. They were dumbfounded. Wasn’t this a healing ability? Why was their health dropping? Why did it hurt so much?
*Hiss~*
Orlandi was also within the ‘healing’ range. He winced in pain, looking up at Sacred Hymn. This milk was poisonous—no, this milk was deadly poison!
"Sacred Hymn! You will…"
Before the last word ‘die’ could be shouted, an assassination-type contractor dropped dead on the spot, healed to death.
"Run outward! The leader’s ability is malfunctioning!"
"Make her stop it! I’m… I’m dying."
A Watchful Paradise contractor roared in despair. But the Holy Light Paradise members ignored him. One shouted:
"Leader, what are you doing, Leader!"
The youth’s cry echoed across half the battlefield.
Compared to everyone on the battlefield, Sacred Hymn, now a flying poison healer, was even more desperate.
Her ultimate ability was [Angel Descent]. Note: Descent. This ability was extremely powerful in team fights, but its weakness was also the descent. After the Primordial Seraph’s incarnation descended, Sacred Hymn used it as a medium to activate this skill.
Why hadn’t Sacred Hymn used this earlier to block the heavy tanks’ charge?
Because once the Primordial Seraph’s incarnation descended, Sacred Hymn had only two outcomes: 1. Successfully use the ability, or 2. Be killed by enemies while they endured her crazy healing.
In other words, Sacred Hymn couldn’t end this ability. Once the Primordial Seraph’s incarnation descended and attached to her back, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue being a flying poison healer.
Undoubtedly, in this battle, the highest overall damage dealer on Su Xiao’s side was Sacred Hymn. The strongest eighth-rank ‘combat healer’ had emerged today.
---
Thanks to Hu Zhong Ri Yue, Xiu Li Qian Kun for the Golden Alliance reward.
Though there are only three chapters today, they total 11,000 words. I’m ashamed. With a big shot giving a Golden Alliance reward, I should have worked harder, but my typing speed only managed 10,000 words.
Excited heart, trembling hands. Thanks to Hu Zhong Ri Yue for the Golden Alliance reward. Starting tomorrow, I’ll continue working hard.
*Reincarnation Paradise* thanks Hu Zhong Ri Yue, Xiu Li Qian Kun for the Golden Alliance reward.
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