Chapter 14
by GideonChapter 14: Snow Mountain Town 14 — The Undying Bird Burns for You
Blood-red mucus continuously oozed from the monster’s body. Combined with the brief glimpse they’d caught through the fog, Tan Xiaotian couldn’t be sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
However, it was precisely because of this mucus that the monster’s path was partially revealed. Based on the traces left behind, the group deduced that the creature must have latched onto the off-road vehicle’s chassis at some point—perhaps right when Lingling Eight mentioned running over a log. From there, it had crawled from the rear of the car to the roof, smearing mucus across the windshield.
When it sensed someone getting out of the car, it had quietly retreated back underneath.
The fog seemed to thicken.
Taking a lesson from Xiao Yang’s earlier scare, the group formed a tight circle, standing back-to-back to eliminate any blind spots.
[ Player AAA: Antarctic Penguin Wholesale and Retail Xiao Yang uses Skill [Commanding Oxen and Horses]. Ally Defense +3, Agility +3. Duration: 1 hour. Cooldown: 12 hours. ]
Xiao Yang didn’t forget his role as the support and promptly cast his skill.
The monster’s attack came without warning. By the time they spotted it, it had already lunged in front of Sweet and Sour Fish.
Jiang Qibai finally got a clear look at the creature. It had no legs. Instead, its four limbs were all long, slender arms, each ending in five extended bone spurs that were as sharp as blades. Its head, covered in a mass of parasitic growths, was bent backward at an impossible angle, almost touching the center of its back. No wonder Tan Xiaotian had said its head was in the middle of its body.
Sweet and Sour Fish fired three rapid shots from her elegant silver handgun. Despite the close range, the monster somehow dodged them. But her bullets were no ordinary ammunition. Though they missed their mark, they exploded mid-air, sending a hail of tiny steel beads piercing into the creature’s flesh.
The monster let out a shrill, piercing shriek and instantly darted to the other side of the group.
In that moment, they all understood the true meaning of “two fists are no match for four hands.” Each of the monster’s four arms could attack independently, allowing it to switch between climbing and striking at will. It could change direction without even turning its body, ready to spring forward at any second.
After the chaotic skirmish, they had managed to temporarily drive the monster back, but everyone was wounded. Worse, aside from Sweet and Sour Fish’s initial shots, no one had dealt any significant damage to the creature.
Jiang Qibai glanced at her Deep Blue Shield; it had only 4 Shield Value left. Luan Qi Ba Jiao’s combat power was mediocre, and his HP was low. Fearing he wouldn’t survive the monster’s next wave of attacks, she hurriedly took out a green bottle and smashed it on the ground. A faint green mist rose, restoring 10 HP to everyone within its range.
While the others were pleasantly surprised that Luan Qi Ba Jiao actually had a group healing item, Jiang Qibai noticed the Shadow Ghost employee, who had also received the healing, glaring fiercely.
Damn it, she thought. After the heal, the Shadow Ghost employee’s attribute points exceeded hers. The Blank Employee Badge is about to lose control over it.
Jiang Qibai acted decisively and stabbed the Shadow Ghost employee.
The strike was perfectly timed. The Shadow Ghost employee’s eyes instantly cleared.
Xiao Yang, standing nearby, stared at Jiang Qibai in shock. She calmly sheathed her knife, silently pretending the whole incident never happened.
[ You have unlocked the achievement: [Smiting My Teammate], Strength +1 ]
In the mist, a sound came from the roof of the off-road vehicle nearby. Lingling Eight, who was closest to the car, had just raised his guard when he heard a startled cry from Sweet and Sour Fish behind him.
“Above us! Watch out!”
The gathered group immediately scattered as the monster descended from the sky. All they saw out of the corners of their eyes was a black shadow closing in, and by the time they registered it, several of them already had new wounds.
Using the roof of the off-road vehicle as a springboard, the monster had leaped high into the air, launching its attack from above.
“Dammit, it’s too fast! We can’t even hit it!” Lingling Eight’s face darkened. “Does anyone have a Slowing Item? I’ve already used mine!”
Luan Qi Ba Jiao hurriedly replied, “I have a Trap Item, but it takes time to set up, and we have to lure the monster into it to control it!” The time it would take to set the trap was enough for the monster to kill him three times over!
“Xiaotian?” Sweet and Sour Fish’s voice suddenly trembled.
Tan Xiaotian turned his head in confusion, following Sweet and Sour Fish’s terrified gaze. Then, he looked down.
A bloody hole pierced straight through his abdomen. His mangled organs were spilling out with every movement he made.
Like a ghost from a legend who only realizes they’re dead once their identity is revealed, Tan Xiaotian’s hand reached out to cover the wound, but he collapsed forward before he could even touch it.
The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
Jiang Qibai was already prepared to cast her Healing Skill, but after glancing at Tan Xiaotian’s Status Bar, she silently lowered her hand.
[ Player: Tan Xiaotian Status: Deceased ]
Their team had just lost a member, but the monsters were still there. A cry for help echoed from Xiao Yang’s direction.
“The monster’s on me! Help!”
With Tan Xiaotian’s fate as a stark warning, Xiao Yang didn’t hesitate to activate his third Talent Skill to save his own skin.
[ Player AAA Antarctic Penguin Wholesale and Retail Xiao Yang has used the skill [Father Falling from Horse], recycling all effects of the skills [Born in Rome] and [Commanding Oxen and Horses] to generate a shield. Current Shield Value: 40 points. Cooldown: One day. ]
“Luan Qi Ba Jiao,” Jiang Qibai’s voice cut through the chaos, calm and steady. “I’ll cover you. Set the trap.” The Shadow Ghost employee positioned herself behind Luan Qi Ba Jiao.
Luan Qi Ba Jiao knew the situation was dire. If they didn’t act now, they’d all die here. Gritting his teeth, he pulled a Trap Item from his bracelet and crouched down to set it, completely ignoring his surroundings.
“Lingling Eight,” Jiang Qibai said, pulling him back as he prepared to rescue Xiao Yang. She produced a yarn ball and explained concisely, “Lure it. Thirty seconds.”
She retreated a few steps, her figure instantly vanishing into the mist. Lingling Eight paused for a moment, then immediately stepped back to create some distance.
Faint sounds echoed through the fog—the scratching of sand and dirt being displaced. Something was approaching at high speed.
Lingling Eight called out, “Throw it here!”
Jiang Qibai decisively hurled the yarn ball toward the sound.
The monster charging at her instantly pivoted, chasing after the yarn ball as it rolled away.
“I’m here,” Jiang Qibai called out, guiding Lingling Eight.
The next second, the yarn ball was thrown back from the mist with tremendous force.
The yarn ball zipped back and forth between the two of them. Luan Qi Ba Jiao’s voice rang out: “Trap’s set!”
Lingling Eight shifted his throw at the last second. The yarn ball landed perfectly inside Luan Qi Ba Jiao’s trap, and the monster charged straight into it.
The triggered trap device glowed red as a massive silver net shot out, enveloping the deformed monster and binding it tightly.
“All out attack!” Lingling Eight roared.
The five people and the Shadow Ghost unleashed everything they had, spamming skills and items on the monster as if they were free. Its HP bar plummeted.
The silver net’s glow gradually faded. The monster had lost an arm and was covered in wounds, the amount of red liquid it had spilled reaching a horrifying level.
“Careful, it’s breaking free!” Luan Qi Ba Jiao noticed the trap’s duration was about to expire.
The group hurried their attacks, but the monster still tore through the net and charged into the mist.
Sweet and Sour Fish fired a final shot in the monster’s direction. Its figure paused for a moment, and just as it was about to vanish, a manhole cover fell from the sky, smashing heavily onto its body.
Jiang Qibai received a notification: [ Killed Blood Terracotta (Incomplete Body) x1, gained 100 Points ]
The others received: [ Assisted in killing Blood Terracotta (Incomplete Body) x1, gained 50 Points ]
The monster was finally dead.
The dense fog quickly dissipated, and before they knew it, the sky had brightened with daylight.
Fifty Points… I can finally pay off my mortgage! A smile tugged at Xiao Yang’s lips, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared when he glanced at the others’ grim expressions. He silently withdrew the thought.
This was the first time Jiang Qibai had witnessed a Player’s death—and it was a teammate who had fought by her side.
Lingling Eight, more experienced in these matters, knew that a Player’s body would be reclaimed by the System after a certain period. He stopped Sweet and Sour Fish from digging a grave and instead moved Tan Xiaotian’s body to a clear spot by the roadside, ensuring it wouldn’t be run over by passing vehicles.
Sweet and Sour Fish took off a piece of clothing and covered Tan Xiaotian’s body with it.
Though the Blood Terracotta had been hiding under the off-road vehicle, waiting for its chance to strike, it hadn’t caused any damage to the car.
Tan Xiaotian’s death was a tragedy, but this was a cruel Doomsday Game. The shadow of death loomed over every Player, and no one was ever truly safe.
After a brief rest, the group climbed back into the vehicle. The passenger seat was now empty. Lingling Eight had been about to ask Sweet and Sour Fish if she wanted to drive so he could sit in the front, but after seeing her crestfallen expression, he silently took the driver’s seat instead.
The off-road vehicle roared to life, continuing its journey toward the can factory.
Silence hung heavy in the car, unbroken by a single word. Jiang Qibai seized the opportunity to scroll through her System messages. She recalled triggering an achievement when she killed the Blood Terracotta.
Achievement Unlocked: [Plenty of Manpower] Reward: +1 Spirit
Achievement Unlocked: [First Blood] Reward: Item [Phoenix Blood]
Phoenix Blood was a pendant inlaid with a teardrop-shaped ruby.
Phoenix Blood Quality: A-rank Description: Single-use item. When the Player takes any fatal damage, their HP will be forcibly locked at 1 point, and they will gain an invulnerability effect for five seconds. Note: The Undying Bird burns for you.
The combination of an A-rank rating and a single-use item undoubtedly meant that Phoenix Blood was incredibly powerful. The forced HP lock granted Jiang Qibai a one-time chance to avoid being instantly killed.
She donned the Phoenix Blood around her neck.
Only now did the reality truly sink in: she had actually killed a Blood Terracotta.
If the Incomplete Body was already this powerful, how strong would the Complete Body in the hotel be?
Judging by their appearances alone, you’d never guess they were the same kind of monster. Was this the gap between an Incomplete and a Complete Body, or was every individual just unique?
Why did Xingshan and the others proactively attack the Blood Terracotta? It couldn’t possibly be for the System Reward Points. Jiang Qibai would rather face a hundred Shadow Ghosts than encounter another Blood Terracotta.
She thought of the box Hugo had taken. What had they extracted from the Blood Terracotta’s body?
In fact, she had been inspired by that thought earlier. She’d forced herself to search the Blood Terracotta’s corpse under the bewildered gazes of the others. It was nothing but a mess of pulpy tissue—all the internal organs had fused together, mixed with tumor-like growths. It was more accurate to describe it as a mixture of blood and flesh, with nothing of value inside.
A whirlwind of thoughts swirled and clashed in her mind until Lingling Eight’s voice broke through: “We’re almost there.”
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