Unfettered on a Solitary Journey

Pfft!

Gao Xu, who had blended inconspicuously among the newcomers, nearly burst out laughing at those words. What a talent. Why not replay the footage of that final sword strike three times before saying it? The effect would definitely be even better~

Although the other newcomers vaguely felt that the veterans were showing off, they did not know how disgusting venom was. Seeing the monsters' attacks being blocked before they could even get close, they still thought the veterans were incredibly formidable.

After several battles, a few of the bolder newcomers felt that the monsters required by the mission were nothing special and became eager to try. As for the three plot characters, whether they were conserving their strength for the imminent battle or simply disdained fighting beasts, they had remained on the sidelines.

Viper Eggs for Main Mission Two began to drop.

In the game, Viper Eggs were materials for refining gu. Now, each of these white items could also be exchanged for 10 points. Combined with the points gained from killing Green Snakes and Crimson Snakes, this showed that Mission Three would not be very difficult either.

At last, some newcomers gathered their courage and went to Tang Mei'er, asking to join the fight. There were clever people among them. They knew that while it was nice to have veterans watching over them, missions had to be completed personally, and they could not expect to encounter such "kindhearted" veterans every time in the future. As the saying went, relying on yourself was better than relying on others. Anyone with a little sense would not let such a great opportunity slip away.

They had no combat experience, and it would have been a lie to say they were not afraid or disgusted by the snakes. But once there was no other choice, courage and fighting spirit often surged forth without them even realizing it.

Killing snakes was easier to accept than killing people, and they had support behind them. So after the newcomers gripped their weapons and stumbled through an initially embarrassing battle, the situation gradually began to improve.

"That thrust was too slow. You left too many openings, making it easy for the enemy to counterattack!"

"Everyone knows a snake's vital spot is seven inches from its head, but if you can't hit it, attacking the head works too. A snake cannot move without its head, so that must be a critical point as well."

"Before a Crimson Snake spits venom, it raises the front half of its body. As long as you watch for that charging motion, you can dodge in advance!"

Tang Mei'er had a sharp eye, and every word she spoke struck at the heart of the matter. Not only did the three plot characters nod repeatedly and look at her in a new light, even Gao Xu felt some admiration for her. This woman possessed ambition, methods, and ability. Perhaps the only thing she lacked was a bit of luck!

Man proposed, but Heaven disposed. Whether in his previous life or this one, because of Gao Xu's existence, she would miss her expected goal.

Of course, this time, she would not merely taste the bitter fruit of failure. She would have to pay a price... a price in blood!

Under her guidance, the newcomers quickly found their footing. Cries and cheers rang out without end, while snake corpses gradually carpeted the ground.

Once they had opened up the path, the group began advancing deeper into the cave. Although the long, winding passageways felt like they were walking through a throat, making them nauseated and uncomfortable, the heat of battle quickly suppressed those negative emotions. The newcomers focused more on completing their mission objectives.

58, 68, 78, 88!

"Haha, I've completed it! I've killed enough Green Snakes!"

The speaker was Kong Jun, one of the more outstanding newcomers. He had a strong, muscular build, a silver tongue, and the courage to fight and take risks. If only he could stop letting his gaze linger on Tang Mei'er's breasts and hips, he would have been perfect.

Naturally, Tang Mei'er could tell that Kong Jun coveted her. A few sidelong glances from her were enough to make him lose his soul. Where else could she find such an excellent pawn to control?

Thus, under her subtle favoritism, Kong Jun indeed became the first to complete the required number of Green Snake kills, setting an excellent example.

Kong Jun basked in the envious and jealous looks of his companions. Coupled with Tang Mei'er's admiring gaze, which seemed to carry the faintest hint of adoration, he practically floated on air. The broadsword in his hand whistled with increasing force, and he charged farther and farther ahead.

No one knew how many passageways they traveled through. It felt as though they had been descending endlessly into the earth. The ground was not only damp but dotted with puddles, and the stench in the air grew stronger.

After Kong Jun had completed most of his mission, Tang Mei'er let him show off at the front for a while longer before switching in other newcomers. It seemed like a fair rotation, yet without anyone noticing, every newcomer always fell just short of completing their missions. This was especially true for points. With the veterans protecting them, they received very few points for each kill, leaving them still far from 300 points.

But the newcomers had been dazzled by the promising prospects of the first two missions. No one noticed this crucial issue...

Gao Xu watched everything coldly, silently calculating in his heart. After they turned through another three passageways, his eyes abruptly narrowed, and his body suddenly tensed.

The moment he had waited so long for had finally arrived!

At the same time, Tang Mei'er's steps came to an abrupt halt. Her pupils contracted as she stared fixedly at a vague shadow in the darkness ahead, crying out urgently, "Everyone, stop!"

Qin Guang and Zhu Hao naturally obeyed her without question and stopped at once. The newcomers obediently followed suit. Only the three plot characters merely paused in surprise before continuing forward in great strides, weapons held in their arms, brimming with confidence.

Arrogant fools who don't know their own limits. They deserve to be swallowed whole by the snake demon, skin and bones alike... Tang Mei'er pursed her alluring lips. Even when angered, her face still wore a charming smile, making her seem exceptionally well-mannered. But if the newcomers present knew what she truly thought, they would probably be scared stiff.

Sure enough, the three plot characters quickly suffered for their recklessness. When the shadow's true form appeared before them, a bone-chilling pressure suddenly surged into everyone's hearts.

It was an enormous python, its body thicker than a water barrel and covered in dazzling, multicolored scales. Countless vivid patterns and hues clustered together, striking and eye-catching. Its head was as large as a wicker basket, with two small black horns faintly visible atop it. From its broad mouth, a fiery-red forked tongue hissed out, thin and sharp, more than a foot long.

It slithered forward slowly, the countless palm-sized scales beneath its belly scraping against the ground with a rustling sound like human footsteps. Without the torchlight, anyone in the darkness would have mistaken it for a person walking.

This enemy was called the Five-Poison Giant Snake. In the game, it had eight times the health of a Crimson Snake. The space had retained some of the game's settings as well, and the Five-Poison Giant Snake that appeared here was an elite enemy that spawned only occasionally. Unfortunately, the demon-slaying party had run into one.

When the Green-Shirted Guest Xu Lang's figure entered its narrow compound eyes, the Five-Poison Giant Snake struck and sprang its tail against the ground. Its massive body actually soared into the air as it lunged at him!

Before its body had even landed, its huge mouth was already open, spraying out a cloud of venom that formed a poisonous miasma and descended over Xu Lang's head!

Faced with such terrifying force, Xu Lang let out a strange cry. Not caring that the ground was muddy and wet, he rolled aside to avoid the deadly blow. At the same time, he swung his sword upward, slashing at the giant snake's lower jaw in an attempt to salvage some of his dignity.

Unfortunately, his formerly peerless sharp sword now seemed to have struck a ball of cotton. It only cut half an inch into the flesh before getting stuck.

Xu Lang was now in an even worse position. His weapon had been trapped. Should he remain locked in a struggle with the enemy, or decisively abandon his sword and retreat?

In the end, Xu Lang could not bear to part with his weapon. He gathered all his strength and yanked hard, pulling the sword free. But this also exposed a massive opening, and the Five-Poison Giant Snake's huge tail lashed brutally against his chest, sending him flying.

The clash had happened in the blink of an eye. Seeing Xu Lang injured, Qin Guang, Zhu Hao, and the other two plot characters immediately surrounded the Five-Poison Giant Snake. A fierce battle erupted at once.

The Five-Poison Giant Snake was indeed vicious, but even a hero could not withstand a pack of wolves, much less a barely sentient beast like it. Before long, it was chopped into several pieces, its blood staining the ground red.

Qin Guang stroked the blue round shield that had been corroded by the poisonous miasma, his brows tightly furrowed in distress. Meanwhile, Zhu Hao happily picked up a grayish-white treasure chest dropped by the Five-Poison Giant Snake and stored it in his Emblem.

Plot characters could not see treasure chests, but the newcomers saw everything clearly. Of course, they had contributed nothing to the battle and had only cowered in the back, so they definitely had no share in the loot. Still, it did no harm to covet it.

Whether in games or reality, treasure was something everyone pursued. Especially in this perilous space, the items inside a treasure chest might provide some safeguard for one's life. It was no wonder the newcomers reacted this way.

This is a good opportunity. Only by gradually stirring up their greed can I use them for my own purposes! Tang Mei'er's eyes lit up. She hurriedly gave Qin Guang and Zhu Hao guidance through the channel. Naturally, the things unsuitable for her to say had to be left to these two subordinates, who could play the villains.

As Zhu Hao played with the treasure chest, casting sideways glances at the newcomers and beginning his patient "lesson," Tang Mei'er's gaze swept around. She suddenly noticed something was wrong. Her expression darkened as she asked, "Where is that Gao Xu? Has anyone seen him?"

The newcomers looked at one another. Finally, a short newcomer standing relatively close to Gao Xu pointed uncertainly toward the rear and said, "He... he seemed too scared and ran off down another path!"

"What an idiot, what an idiot! He's courting death!" Tang Mei'er's expression changed drastically. She stomped her feet in anger, and the heartfelt concern she displayed moved the other newcomers deeply. What a kind-hearted beauty!

Kong Jun hurriedly consoled her. "That kid was foolish from the start, treating this place like some sightseeing trip. Something was bound to happen sooner or later. Miss Tang, you've already done everything you could. Don't take it to heart!"

"Twilight nears, the evening glow fades. On a solitary journey, I have no ties~"

Meanwhile, the fool Kong Jun spoke of was humming a tune. His face shone with the carefree ease of fish leaping in the vast sea and birds flying in the high sky. He took out the flying knives and realgar powder he had prepared long ago.