Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Waves sloshed against the shore, which was now in a state of disorder. Traces of blood could be seen on the surface of the water. A couple of explorers were lying unconscious near a couple of grounded ships on the shore, their clothes drenched.
A man who appeared to be in shock was leaning against one of the grounded ships. Blood was flowing profusely from his chest. He was desperately pressing his hand against his chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding. However, it was too late. He had already lost too much blood.
“It must be fate, to have to see a bunch of despicable human beings after being woken up so rudely.” A huge black creature stretched its head out of the water. Its body was as long and slender like a snake. Black fumes swirled around its scaly body. Suddenly, its neck snapped, raising the great beast’s head into the air.
Black and red smoke billowed from its headless neck. The smoke gradually coalesced into the shape of a dragon’s head. White spines protruded from its back.
Li Gang was too frightened to say a word, his face pale. He was now finding it hard to breathe.
Chuckling evilly, the black creature took a deep breath.
Li Gang could feel the life rapidly receding from his body. The color on his face was giving way to a deathly pallor, and cracks began appearing across his shriveled skin.
Chunks of flesh fell off his body, revealing the bones beneath his skin. His eyeballs withered and dissolved into nothing, leaving only a pair of dark empty sockets on his face.
Li Gang wasn’t the only one suffering from this horrible process of decay. Those who were still lying unconscious around him also had their life forces slowly robbed from them. A few moments later, only their skeletons were left lying in the wreckage.
At that moment, a single dragon whisker moved above the snout of the disembodied dragon head that was floating in the air.
“I see the years haven’t changed the nutritional value of human beings. If I am to return to my former glory, I must consume more of these hateful creatures.”
The Wu Gorge base city was built on a mountain range. Since the Cataclysm, the Wu Gorge base city, which was situated on the eastern side of Yuzhou, had attracted a lot of trainers. This was due to the fact that the ecosystem near the base city was quite well preserved, allowing all kinds of monsters to flourish.
Approximately 18 miles from the Wu Gorge base city was a Mountain Spirit rest stop. All kinds of buildings and facilities had been built atop a 300-foot-tall Mountain Spirit.
Suddenly, a black figure darted across the air. A moment later, raindrops began falling from the darkening sky, then there was a downpour.
Dusk was still a few hours away, yet the sky had gone completely dark. Through the leaves, raindrops fell from the pitch-black sky like bullets.
There were two groups of trainers currently at the Mountain Spirit rest stop. “It’s raining really hard right now. Why don’t we wait for a bit until the rain stops?” suggested a man with a long scar across his face as he gazed out at the heavy rain from his room.
Even though they had brought waterproof capes with them, not to mention the fact that their familiars didn’t mind the rain too much, most of them thought that it would be best not to go out in the rain lest all of them catch colds. Besides, it was comfy and dry in their rooms atop the Mountain Spirit’s body. A couple of stores were also set up there, selling snacks and whatnot.
Knock, knock. Someone was pounding at the door. One of them went to open it. The other group of trainers was standing at the threshold.
“Yes? Have you guys eaten yet? Come on in,” said the leader of the Rock Tiger Monster Hunting Party. He was a bit surprised to find the members of the Green Vine Monster Hunting Party standing outside his room, but he greeted them politely all the same. As their areas of operations usually coincided with each other, it wasn’t unusual for both parties to recognize each other.
“Our Emergency Alarm Bird went off this morning,” said the leader of the other group, his brows furrowed.
“Emergency Alarm Bird?”
“Yes, it’s one of our support familiars. It can sense if there’s trouble nearby. It’s been feeling rather uneasy since this afternoon. Then, all of a sudden, it just… shut itself down,” explained the Green Vine party leader, pointing at a red-feathered crow that was perched on top of one of his group members’ hands.
It seemed to be a Crow-type monster. However, there were still a few distinct differences between it and an actual crow.
Just then, the red-feathered crow cradled its head in its wings and squatted down on its trainer’s palm. A single feather on its head stood straight up. “Warning… warning… warning…” The Emergency Alarm Bird began letting out a low, tired moan.
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“We don’t know where this danger is coming from, but right now, there are a number of lone trainers and both of our parties on top of this Mountain Spirit. I was hoping we could join forces to face this unknown threat together.”
The Rock Tiger Monster Hunting Party leader laughed out loud. “What kind of danger can there really be? We have a Lord-tier Mountain Spirit beneath our feet. Even ordinary Lord-tier monsters wouldn’t be foolish enough to challenge it.”
“I hope you’re right…” said the Green Vine party leader. Such a thought had occurred to him at first, but he still couldn’t shake off this feeling of foreboding.
“All right, now. If it makes you feel any better, why don’t we take turns keeping watch tonight—” Before he could finish his sentence, the ground shook violently beneath them. A long, piercing cry reverberated through the forest.
Holding onto the wall, the Rock Tiger party leader frowned. It sounded like the distressed cry of a Mountain Spirit. Was something terrible really about to happen?!
A couple of the Green Vine Monster Hunting Party members began screaming in fear as they gazed up at the sky.
“My god, what is that creature?”
“Run for your lives!”
Boom! A huge black dragon claw came crashing down on the entire Green Vine Monster Hunting Party.
Small white barbs covered the scales of the dragon claw, which was wreathed in black fumes. Blood was dripping from its claws…
The Rock Tiger party leader’s body stiffened. Cold sweat erupted from his skin when he realized that a pair of green orbs were staring at him through his window.
…
In the mountains behind the Southern Sky Group, Stripey suddenly opened its eyes and rose to its feet. Nan Ju and Bei Zhi, who were counting oranges on its back, fell on their butts.
Brrrooommm—
Black clouds swam ominously above Stripey’s head. A blood-red light flashed across the clouds.
Dead! Stripey sensed that somewhere in the region, a Mountain Spirit had died.
It had never felt such urgency and rage before. Strictly speaking, it didn’t really relate to the Mountain Spirits. However, it was thanks to its current identity that they were willing to accept Stripey as their “master.” This was a matter of Stripey’s pride, which had taken a major hit as a result of letting one of the Mountain Spirits be killed under its watch.
“What’s wrong, Stripey?” asked Da Zi. Electricity was dancing behind its back as it appeared before the spider.
“A Mountain Spirit has died.”
Upon receiving the news, Gao Peng’s face darkened. “A Mountain Spirit has died? How is that possible? A Mountain Spirit is at least a Lord-tier monster. Even Lord-tier monsters that are much stronger than a typical Mountain Spirit would have a tough time killing it. Only a King-tier would be able to deal a fatal blow to a Mountain Spirit.”
In any case, this wasn’t a matter to be taken lightly.
“Can you determine where the Mountain Spirit died?”
“Shouldn’t be a problem,” rumbled Stripey.
Gao Peng was now feeling troubled. If there were any casualties at the Mountain Spirit rest stop, there would be most certainly be trouble. The media would have a field day, casting doubt on the safety of his Mountain Spirit rest stops. This would seriously affect his business.
Back in the Wu Gorge base city, black clouds and wind were brewing on the horizon, slowly enveloping the land in darkness…