Chapter 27: Fate
At 4:00 AM the next day, Red Soil Region, Mountain Range Area.
Cold Moon hurriedly led her team members through the mountains.
They had already sensed something was wrong. The scheming woman suddenly left the team, leaving Cold Moon deeply puzzled.
Thinking back to how the scheming woman’s previous words had been blocked by Reincarnation Paradise, Cold Moon felt a chill run down her spine. Opposing Reincarnation Paradise meant seeking death.
“Have you found Xiao Hei’s trail?”
Candy’s spirits were low. Before they could even take revenge on Su Xiao, discord had already struck their team.
“Not yet, but this is the direction.”
Bee was tracking the scheming woman’s location.
“Ahead is the center of the Red Soil Region. What do we do?”
Bee looked at Cold Moon. As the team leader, all major decisions fell to her.
“The central area… It seems similar to what I guessed.”
Cold Moon sighed. Though she wanted to find Xiao Hei, she had to consider the entire team’s opinion.
“Let’s vote. We’ll decide whether to look for Xiao Hei or leave the Red Soil Region as soon as possible.”
Now only five members remained in the team. If this were still the medium-sized adventure group it once was, Cold Moon would have made the decision directly—leave the Red Soil Region immediately and forget about Xiao Hei.
“I want to find Xiao Hei.”
Candy spoke up first, surprising everyone. Given her timid personality, no one expected her to be the first to take a stand.
“I oppose.”
Rona spoke. She only cared about Cold Moon; she barely knew Xiao Hei.
“I oppose.”
Blood Rose also voiced her dissent, leaving the others stunned.
“Don’t look at me like that. Leaving the team and venturing into the central area were Xiao Hei’s own decisions. Going after her like this won’t make her happy.”
Blood Rose was the most mature. Though she didn’t know the full details, she could guess the mindset with which Xiao Hei had left.
“I agree.”
Bee cast her vote, which fit her personality well.
Two against two. Now Cold Moon’s decision was crucial.
Cold Moon took a deep breath.
“I…”
Just as Cold Moon began to speak, a sound of wind breaking came from above the slope.
A black-and-white creature leaped over the ridge, jumping at least three to four meters high, as if trying to clear the gap to the next slope.
“Stop, you fool! There are people below!”
A sharp shout came from above the heads of the Apocalypse Sisters.
The newcomer was none other than Su Xiao. He had been searching nearby for over five hours. He had long found the Hunt Mark, but it was only on a severed hand.
As for tracking by the scent of blood, that was impossible. Wild beasts frequently fought and bled here; bloodshed was the norm.
The enemy was too good at hiding. Though he had paid 5% of the World Source, the second Hunt Mark was already forming, but it took time.
The formation point of the Hunt Mark was random. Now that the enemy had lost one hand, Su Xiao didn’t believe the mark would still land on a limb. If it landed on the head or torso, the enemy wouldn’t be able to forcibly remove it.
The sky was beginning to lighten. Su Xiao looked down the slope at the few women below—female contractors.
The more he looked at them, the more familiar they seemed, as if he had seen them somewhere before.
“You are…”
Su Xiao stared at Cold Moon’s face. That face overlapped with an image in his memory.
Cold Moon and her team were stunned. Their original plan was to set a trap for Su Xiao, but who could have guessed they would run into him head-on?
Their meeting was no coincidence. Su Xiao was searching for the scheming woman, and Cold Moon’s team was doing the same. Both parties had been circling near the center, unwilling to venture deeper into the Red Soil Region’s core—that would be suicide.
But someone had already gone deep, and that person had luckily survived—Xiao Hei.
“You’re the leader of that… what flower group? Cold Eyes? Or Cold something…”
Su Xiao only remembered what had happened back then; the specific names were a bit fuzzy.
“It seems this is fate.”
Cold Moon let out a long breath. The purple-quality staff in her hand began to transform, quickly splitting into two rapiers, their hilts embedded with blue gems.
Cold Moon originally had three forms: Wind King form (pseudo-mage), Archer form, and Silver Moon Swordsman form.
But that was several worlds ago. Now, in her Silver Moon Swordsman form, Cold Moon could also use skills from her Wind King form.
The new main tank, Rona, stood in front. Cold Moon and Blood Rose, who wielded a long spear, flanked her on left and right. Bee quickly retreated, presumably to find cover and prepare to snipe Su Xiao. Candy stood diagonally opposite Su Xiao, with Cold Moon and the others in between—a position that was both safe and allowed her to quickly buff her teammates.
Su Xiao surveyed the group. Though their formation was decent, Cold Moon and her team were only first-rank contractors.
He could handle second-rank contractors, let alone first-ranks like Cold Moon’s group. Even if they were strong for their rank, it didn’t matter.
Su Xiao jumped down from Bubu Wang’s back, pulled out his pocket watch, and checked the time. Seven hours remained until the deadline. He needed to hurry.
Dragon-Slaying Flash left its sheath, and Azure Steel Shadow was activated to maximum.
Su Xiao’s gaze fixed on the female sniper in the distance. He decided to take her out first.
“Shave.”
Su Xiao’s figure vanished from its spot, leaving a gust of wind in its wake. The special Shave had a long cooldown, but its startup speed and movement speed were terrifyingly fast.
“Bee!”
Cold Moon shouted. Before Bee even heard Cold Moon’s voice, she felt a blast of wind pressure from behind.
Clang.
Bee turned. A cold gleam of light expanded in her pupils. Her body went ice-cold, and she instinctively ducked.
Pfft.
Two severed arms and a broken sniper rifle flew into the air. Blood splattered across the slope. Su Xiao had cut off Bee’s arms and her rifle in one stroke.
Cold Moon, Rona, and Blood Rose all charged up the slope. Some launched long-range attacks, but faster than all of them was Candy’s healing skill.
A green light and two layers of shields appeared on Bee. Life force surged within her, but the healing effect was barely noticeable.
This was a new ability of Dragon-Slaying Flash, one that hadn’t stood out much before.
Equipment Effect: Shadow Dance Sever (Passive): Each strike against an enemy reduces their defense by 8%, lasting 20 seconds. This effect can stack up to 3 times, reducing defense by a total of 24%.
Tip: After stacking Shadow Dance Sever (Passive) to 3 stacks, the Bleeding Like a River effect is triggered. (Bleeding Like a River: Enemy loses 2 HP per second and receives 30% reduced healing.)
The Bleeding Like a River skill seemed unremarkable, but the reduced healing effect was exceptionally nasty.
Bee was a sniper. Once Su Xiao closed in, her fate was sealed.
Bee stared stubbornly at Su Xiao. The pain was paralyzing, and too much Azure Steel Shadow energy had invaded her body.
The sharp blade tip pierced through the shield, stabbed through Bee’s chest, and pierced her heart. With her heart damaged, Bee was as good as dead.
Su Xiao gripped his sword with both hands, lifted the dying Bee, and hurled her toward the three people charging up the slope.
Drops of blood traced an arc through the air. Rona, at the front, instinctively caught Bee.
Boom!
The explosion’s flames engulfed Rona.
A few seconds later, Rona, covered in burns, rushed out of the flames. But after only a few steps, she felt a numbness in her right ankle.
With a thud, Rona fell face-first. Grass clippings flew. A sharp pain shot through her ankle. She looked down—her foot lay a short distance away, severed from her leg.
Near that foot, Rona saw a metal wire crackling with electricity, still stained with blood.
Though she had lost a foot, Rona wasn’t panicked. She had suffered worse injuries. Her defense was weak, but her recovery was incredibly strong.
(Second chapter done. I’m going to sleep for a bit, so sleepy.)