These gem bugs each had their own elemental affinities, and no two were exactly alike. After being used for target practice over several rounds, Xiao Yang's various Elemental Resistances had all improved.
In the end, the Weak Fire Elemental Resistance he'd gained from Red Logan's Great Horn, along with all the other newly acquired Elemental Resistances, were consolidated into a broader, more comprehensive trait.
Elemental Resistance (Minor)
Weak Fire Elemental Resistance had been consolidated into All Elemental Resistance (Minor). It was hard to say whether this was a gain or a loss, but there was no doubt that All Elemental Resistance was more versatile. The gem bugs' energy blasts now dealt ten percent less damage to Xiao Yang.
An improvement was always a good thing, but it hurt like hell. The gem bugs' beam attacks were so fast that dodging was impossible. Every time, Xiao Yang could only twist around before one slammed into him.
When those thick beams hit Xiao Yang—especially when they struck him in the butt—it felt like getting a shot in the ass from a doctor at the clinic when you had a cold. Except it was a super-sized version, with a super-sized needle.
Every hit made Xiao Yang yelp in pain. The feeling was beyond words. He couldn't help thinking that his life as a God Game Player wasn't turning out at all like he'd expected. Wasn't it supposed to be about adventure, rewards, and seeing new sights?
Why was he spending every day in a gloomy dungeon, wrestling with all sorts of bizarre things and suffering all kinds of bizarre injuries?
Lying behind a large boulder, Xiao Yang wore an utterly hopeless expression. Just then, the World Membrane Fragment (Life) began to work. His health surged upward, and before long, Xiao Yang was back to full health and jumping around again.
With his condition fully restored, Xiao Yang sprang out from behind the boulder.
In any case, after paying such a painful price, Xiao Yang was determined to claim the Gemstone Mine and those gem bugs. Otherwise, all that suffering would have been for nothing!
The energy beams had Xiao Yang so exasperated that he charged toward the Gemstone Mine once more. He rushed inside, and at last, every single gem bug had dimmed. They'd exhausted all the energy they'd stored up. Now it was Xiao Yang's turn!
Faced with Xiao Yang's attack, the energy-depleted gem bugs curled up one after another. In an instant, they seemed to become actual gemstones, gleaming beautifully.
But Xiao Yang, enraged after being tormented for so long, didn't care how pretty they were. He swung Justice's Condolence with all his might and brought it down hard on a gem bug's tough shell. Then he was stunned: he hadn't dealt even a single point of damage.
Unwilling to give up so easily, Xiao Yang swung Justice's Condolence again and again. His hands ached after several solid blows, but not a single point of damage appeared. Clearly, something unexpected had happened. Xiao Yang used Probe Skill on the gem bugs once more.
Sure enough, the very situation he least wanted to face had appeared.
Gem Bug (Gemstone State)
Special Creature
Traits: Gemstone Healing, Energy Convergence, Hard Shell State, Energy Immunity
Description: Perhaps you could try hitting these large gemstones with a pickaxe.
Xiao Yang was stunned. The gem bugs had a defensive stance too? This was the first time he'd encountered a monster with two forms—or perhaps they weren't even monsters. It was no wonder these gem bugs had the Special Creature label on their status panels. Everything about them was strange.
But Xiao Yang was still stunned.
The bad news was that he had no way to deal with the gem bugs in their gemstone state. The good news was that he could keep training his Elemental Resistance.
After a brief silence, it was clear that there was nothing he could do for now. He would just have to accept it.
He remembered the description's suggestion to try hitting the large gemstones with a pickaxe, but he didn't have one. He swung Justice's Condolence at the largest, brightest ruby in front of him. Nothing happened. Maybe he should try picking on someone his own size.
Xiao Yang picked out the smallest gem bug in the group. Most of the others were about the size of basketballs, while the largest, a red gem bug, was about the size of a millstone. The one he'd chosen was only the size of an apple, a green gem bug. Xiao Yang brought his weapon down hard on the curled-up bug, and a red number popped up.
Xiao Yang dealt five damage. He could break through this little guy's defenses, at least. But the instant the damage appeared, a green number followed, restoring five health. The damage Xiao Yang had dealt was instantly healed.
But Xiao Yang refused to give up. He kept laying into it, one blow after another. Before long, amid the dense flurry of red and green numbers, the green gem bug finally couldn't take it anymore. It suddenly shook, and a piece of its shell broke off and fell in front of Xiao Yang.
Xiao Yang was taken aback. He picked up the piece that had fallen from the green gem bug.
Pure Green Gemstone (Small)
Quality: Excellent
Description: A Pure Green Gemstone exceptionally rare even among green gemstones.
Wait! What was going on here? Could these gem bugs be a renewable, mobile gemstone mine?
As he thought it over, Xiao Yang finally began to understand what the Special label in Special Creature meant.
If that was true, then what was the difference between these gem bugs and mobile money printers? No wonder God Game's description of them had called them extremely expensive.
Good grief, Xiao Yang thought he might actually be about to strike it rich.
To test his theory, Xiao Yang picked another small gem bug and hit it. After a flurry of blows, he got a Pure Purple Gemstone (Small). Just like that, Xiao Yang's eyes lit up whenever he looked at the gem bugs.
What a treasure. These gem bugs were all treasures. Xiao Yang stroked the largest one, the gem bug about the size of a millstone, and sighed.
But even as he admired it, the lingering pain from the beating he'd just taken was too deep and vivid. As he stroked the millstone-sized gem bug, joy flashed across Xiao Yang's face, then murderous intent.
After all, this biggest red gem bug had been the one that formed the head and walloped Xiao Yang just moments ago!
Xiao Yang's feelings were complicated. If you asked him what he thought right now, the answer would probably be that it hurt so good!
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