Darkroom

Xia Lun ducked on instinct, a Short Sword materializing in his hand as he lunged forward and thrust!

In an instant, a sharp crack hurtled toward him. A slick, pale arm whipped over his scalp, trailing a shock wave through the air, and slammed into the wall of the room behind him.

Boom!

The wall buckled and burst apart, scattering brick and stone through a cloud of dust.

Almost as the crash rang out, a muffled sound followed: flesh being cut open.

Xia Lun still hadn't seen his attacker, but guided by his sword sense, he had already driven his blade through the attacker's throat.

Dust filled the air, its choking grit mingled with the smell of blood.

Xia Lun exhaled softly, twisted his wrist to turn the blade, then pulled it free.

Splat!

Blood and trapped air gushed from the wound in the tall figure's ruined throat like water from a punctured balloon, spilling down the blade and across the ground.

Only then did he get a clear look at his attacker.

The exaggerated Blush Mask, the serpentine body, the arms covered in fleshy sacs—it was the Serpent Man. He had come back to life!

"What?"

Though he had already killed his attacker, Xia Lun felt a faint unease. It was as though a chill had seeped in through the soles of his feet and was creeping up his spine toward his scalp.

[Slaughter! You have killed the Nuo-Mask Plague Senior Follower (Snake). You gained 50 Memory Points!]

The familiar message flashed across the corner of his vision again.

"If this thing can keep coming back forever, I'm in trouble. I need to find a way to stop it."

Xia Lun narrowed his eyes. After a moment's thought, he had an idea.

He grabbed the Serpent Man's