Chapter 61: MVP Bubu Wang
The Milne bullet pierced through the figure's head without any obstruction. The bandages wrapped around the head shattered, and the entire skull burst like a watermelon struck by a sledgehammer, splattering red and white fluids onto the nearby wall.
The figure collapsed. He didn't even know who had killed him. Phantom Troupe member Porcupine, Troupe number 12, an Emission-type Nen user, was instantly killed by Vini with a single shot.
After Porcupine fell, a dark purple chest appeared beside his corpse.
On the clock tower, the muzzle of Vini's heavy sniper rifle smoked, the barrel glowing red-hot, clearly unable to fire consecutively. Indeed, this weapon, loaded with only a single round, required a three-minute barrel cooldown after each shot.
Rolling her sore shoulder, Vini spotted the dark purple chest through her scope and whistled.
"Profit."
Setting the sniper rifle aside, Vini pulled out a small remote-controlled aircraft. Don't underestimate this thing—it was also equipment, blue-quality gear. She quickly piloted the aircraft toward the chest's location.
...
On the street.
Su Xiao held the head of a Nilapan in his left hand, using the half-dead creature as a shield. Blade light flashed as several headless Nilapans fell before him.
As these Nilapans dropped, Su Xiao noticed the enemies ahead thinning out significantly. They were about to break through.
The Three Brothers of National Football panted heavily behind Su Xiao. It was proven that main tanks excelled at defense but struggled somewhat during a breakout.
After slaying the few Nilapans in front, the group broke through the encirclement amid the furious roars of the large horde behind them.
Fangirl watched the four running away and felt speechless.
"Damn, sorry for having no presence."
Silver light surged within her. The few Nilapans beside her suddenly froze as a blood-red line wove through the air. When those Nilapans could move again, they instinctively clutched their spurting throats.
Seizing the opportunity, Fangirl also broke through and regrouped with Su Xiao and the others.
Twenty minutes later.
In a pitch-black alley within the district, Su Xiao and the others stood or sat inside.
"One good news, one bad news. Which first?"
Su Xiao glanced at the four present. It was news from Bubu Wang.
"Bad news."
Fangirl gritted her teeth, pulling a broken Nilapan claw from her forearm. After breaking out, the team had encountered three more groups of Nilapans.
The Nilapan clan wasn't all gathered together but scattered across nearby districts, wandering around like patrolling territory.
"The bad news is that the Jester is with the Troupe leader."
"Not good."
The Three Brothers of National Football were also heavily injured, but at least they could heal each other.
"And the good news?"
The third brother was optimistic.
"The good news is that the Troupe has suffered heavy losses. Someone I sent out earlier was quite fierce."
"Who?"
"Kurapika."
Hearing that name, Fangirl and the brothers suddenly understood. Though Kurapika wasn't strong at this point in time, due to his vows and restrictions, he was exceptionally powerful against Phantom Troupe members.
"Kurapika killed three Troupe members: Shalnark, Kortopi, and Franklin. But as a cost, he was stabbed through the heart by the Troupe leader and fled. His fate is unknown."
"Brother Ruthless, how did you get this intel?"
The second brother voiced everyone's confusion.
"I have... special channels."
Thinking of the intel Bubu Wang had relayed, Su Xiao's mouth twitched. That fool had infiltrated the Nilapan high ranks. The skill 'You Can't See Me' was mysteriously powerful.
In truth, if it were just the skill alone, it wouldn't have such an exaggerated effect. Earlier, Bubu Wang had devoured the flesh of a lord-level One-Eyed Giant, boosting his attributes significantly—no, drastically.
Bubu Wang (Follower)
Health: 100%
Mana: 270
Strength: 26 (+1)
Agility: 32 (+4)
Endurance: 30 (+2)
Intelligence: 27
Charm: 53 (+8)
...
When Su Xiao saw Bubu Wang's charm attribute of 53, he was stunned. Bubu Wang's charm was almost catching up to Su Xiao's main attribute.
Based on Su Xiao's guess, the skill 'You Can't See Me' (Passive, Self-Learned Skill) had its effectiveness determined by the charm attribute's level.
In other words, the higher Bubu Wang's charm, the stronger this skill.
'You Can't See Me' wasn't invisibility or disguise. Invisibility or disguise couldn't infiltrate enemy ranks.
"Special channels..."
Though Fangirl frowned, she couldn't press the matter.
"The situation is very favorable for us."
Su Xiao changed the subject. Bubu Wang's ability couldn't be exposed; it was a trump card for critical moments.
"Currently, the enemy's combat strength is down to five: the Jester, the Troupe leader, Troupe members Feitan, Machi, and Pakunoda. Aside from Feitan, the other two Troupe members aren't very strong."
Despite the reduced opponents, Fangirl and the brothers didn't look relieved.
"What about the Nilapan clan? Those four-eyed freaks are also our enemies."
"Ignore them for now. We're going straight to kill the Jester."
"Are you sure?"
"It's not about being sure. In about half an hour, the Nilapan clan will attack the auction house again. Once the auction house falls, the main mission penalty will hit immediately. With all attributes reduced by 3, dealing with the Jester and the Troupe leader will be much harder."
Bubu Wang's infiltration into the Nilapan clan had provided crucial intel.
The Nilapan clan wasn't under the Jester's control. Their relationship was purely exploitative. Currently, there were over 2,700 Nilapans in Yorknew City, with five sub-leaders and one leader.
With Bubu Wang keeping watch within the Nilapan clan, any slight movement would be reported to Su Xiao immediately. That was why he said they could temporarily ignore the Nilapan clan.
"Not only that, I suspect the Jester has lost his combat ability."
Su Xiao's words puzzled Fangirl and the brothers.
"How could he lose combat ability? I've heard of the Jester before. They say he likes to eat souls."
Fangirl clearly didn't believe the Jester was incapacitated.
"I fought him earlier. I cut off both his legs and one arm before he escaped. Given the technology and mysticism level of the Hunter world, restoring severed limbs requires some luck. As far as I know, no one in the Troupe can help him regrow limbs. I completely destroyed his hands and feet. Even Machi can't do anything."
"Is that so..."
Fangirl fell into thought.
Su Xiao had learned from Bubu Wang that the Jester's severed limbs hadn't been restored. Though Bubu Wang had only seen the Jester and the others from a distance, he could still tell whether they had hands and feet.
"If he's lost combat ability, I might consider assassinating him."
Fangirl looked at Su Xiao with a smile. Her implication was that she didn't want to fight the Troupe leader or members, to minimize risk.
"But I'll say this upfront: if the Jester's limbs have recovered or if anything seems off, I'll retreat immediately."
"Agreed."
Though Su Xiao wanted to finish off the Jester himself, the current situation didn't allow it. No one was dealing with the Troupe leader yet, and the brothers needed to hold off the remaining Troupe members.