With Cheng Xiaoyu left alone in the cave, Huang Dongshi led everyone outside. His gaze was vicious as he said,
"Bowen, block the cave entrance."
Bowen, the Fire Element Mage, grinned viciously. He raised a ball of flame in his hand and hurled it at the cave behind them.
"Boom!"
An explosion rang out, making the cave tremble. When the black smoke slowly cleared, the entrance had been blocked by huge boulders.
Cheng Xiaoyu watched it all quietly, showing little emotion. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he recalled what Captain Wang Dakun had once told him.
[Every now and then, you run into scum. Being a Hunter Magician is dangerous work, and accidents are part of the job, aren't they?]
[But even if an accident does happen, no one on the outside will know, so the crime rate is higher in some places.]
[There are no security cameras Outside the Safe Zone. If they kill everyone, there won't be any witnesses.]
[They'll use the weak as bait to lure enemies in, or abandon their teammates and run... Xiaoyu, whether or not you're still on our team in the future, you have to watch out for people like that!]
Captain, now that I've left the team, I've realized it's raining all over out here...
Cheng Xiaoyu sighed. He had considered leaving partway through, but he was afraid something might go wrong. After all, they had the numbers.
Besides, if there really were Agate Stones, why wouldn't he want them all to himself?
But right now, the most important thing was...
He looked up at the giant cocoon. The terrifying spider's eyes had lit up. Its folded, razor-sharp legs slowly unfolded, and it lowered itself to the ground on strands of silk.
A dozen scarlet eyes reflected the small figure of Cheng Xiaoyu, glaring angrily at the human who had disturbed its sleep. It let out a shrill screech.
A gale howled, whipping Cheng Xiaoyu's hair and clothes. He frowned slightly and covered his nose and mouth in disgust.
"Bad breath, too..."
He reached into the [Item Inventory] and took out a short sword. This Demon Spider was probably stronger than the Boss in the Beginner Limited-Time Dungeon last time, and [Paralysis] and [Bleeding] were the key to his victory!
Cheng Xiaoyu charged at the Demon Spider, swinging the short sword at one of its legs.
"Clang!"
Sparks flew. The sharp blade couldn't hurt the spider's leg at all, leaving only a faint mark on its surface. It had no effect.
When another razor-sharp leg stabbed toward him, Cheng Xiaoyu immediately dodged, weaving beneath its body and attacking it whenever he could.
The scarlet Agate Stones illuminated the dim mine, but there was still enough open space for him to use Shadow Evasion and nimbly dodge its attacks.
This won't work. I have to find the Demon Spider's weak spot... There!
Cheng Xiaoyu looked at its many eyes and charged forward, but it suddenly spat a mouthful of yellow-green saliva.
His expression changed, and he hurriedly dodged to the side.
The yellow-green saliva hit the ground, instantly eating away at it and filling the air with poisonous fumes.
"Strong Acid... It had that trick up its sleeve, too!"
A tough hide and Strong Acid—this thing was even harder to deal with than I thought!
No, I have to get in close and finish it quickly...
[Skill: Dash]
Use this to charge in all at once!
Cheng Xiaoyu activated his newly acquired skill and shot forward at a terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of the Demon Spider. He raised his short sword and plunged it into one of its eyes.
[Effect activated: Paralysis]
[Effect activated: Bleeding]
The Demon Spider screeched, enduring the pain in its eye as it swung a razor-sharp leg at Cheng Xiaoyu.
Cheng Xiaoyu's pupils shrank. He hurriedly pulled out his short sword and held it in front of himself, blocking part of the blow, but he was still sent flying toward the wall.
A moment before he would have crashed into it, he used Shadow Evasion in time and avoided injury.
Seeing dark green blood pour from the Demon Spider's eye and its movements grow slightly stiff, he knew [Paralysis] and [Bleeding] had taken effect.
Strike while it's down. Cheng Xiaoyu wouldn't give the Demon Spider a chance to fight back. He used [Dash] again to close in, leaped onto its hideous face, and repeatedly stabbed its eyes with his short sword. If one strike wasn't enough, he struck again.
The effects of [Paralysis] and [Bleeding] kept activating. Under the effects of both, the Demon Spider finally couldn't take any more. It slowly toppled onto its back and lay motionless.
Cheng Xiaoyu landed lightly on the ground, then looked up at a cave above him. Huang Dongshi's Hunter Team stood there, looking down at him with stunned expressions.
That kid had actually killed the Demon Spider by himself... Was it because of that Demon-Slaying Tool?
Huang Dongshi looked at the Demon-Slaying Tool in Cheng Xiaoyu's hand. The shock on his face vanished, replaced by a burning greed.
"Kid, I'll give you two choices. Either hand over the Demon-Slaying Tool willingly, and I might spare your life, or... I'll kill you myself and take it."
The group came over to Cheng Xiaoyu. Huang Dongshi's expression was perfectly calm, as if he didn't think there was anything wrong with what he'd said. The team members behind him glared viciously at Cheng Xiaoyu.
Cheng Xiaoyu warily watched them approach. Just then, a notification appeared from the system, making his pupils shrink.
[Notification]
[Emergency Mission triggered: Kill enemies 0/6]
Emergency Mission... Kill enemies... What was going on?!
"Kid, quit looking around!"
Seeing Cheng Xiaoyu spacing out, Bowen, the Fire Element Mage, grew annoyed. He conjured a ball of flame in his hand and hurled it at Cheng Xiaoyu.
Cheng Xiaoyu reacted, but the explosion still blasted him into the rock wall.
Rubble fell on top of him. He lay in the hollowed-out wall, staring blankly upward, murmuring to himself.
How could I have forgotten? This is the most ruthless place in the world, a place filled with violence, deception, and betrayal. How could I...
I see. I'd let my guard down...
Carelessness, arrogance, illusion...
I have to become even stronger!
Cheng Xiaoyu's fingers twitched as he pushed away the rubble weighing him down and slowly rose, bracing himself against the rock wall.
"Hey, he's still alive."
At the sound of someone's surprised voice, he wiped the blood from his face. His drooping bangs hid half of it, concealing his expression in shadow. Then he slowly began walking forward.
"Hey, Bowen, don't hold back."
"Tch, who knew this kid was so hard to kill? Maybe he's a cockroach."
Their mocking voices reached him. Cheng Xiaoyu walked toward them with his head bowed, continuing to murmur,
"How could I have forgotten? The weak have everything taken from them. That's what it's like Outside the Safe Zone..."
At this, Huang Dongshi grinned, his eyes full of contempt.
"Kid, you seem to understand that pretty well."
"Then that means... you're all mentally prepared for what's coming, too, right?"
"What?"
"Hey, hey, you little punk, what are you talking about?"
"I'm asking you Hunters..."
Cheng Xiaoyu stopped in front of them and slowly raised his head. A murderous glint shone in his eyes as wisps of deathly aura spread around him.
"Are you mentally prepared to be killed?"
Before you continue