"Something's changed. I'm going to provide support first!" Shi Meng said, then rushed toward the red distress signal.
Wei Fan's expression turned grave, and he sped up to follow.
Wei Fan was also quite curious what level of monster could have triggered a red distress signal.
After all, the strongest monsters he had encountered so far had only been Black Ghost Level.
With his current strength, Black Ghost Level monsters were easy for him to deal with.
That was why Wei Fan had the confidence to follow. After the Extreme Breakthrough at Ironclad Ridge, Wei Fan's defense had greatly improved, so he dared to go out and take a risk.
Wei Fan sprinted along the city wall, following Shi Meng at an unhurried pace.
Shi Meng, up ahead, was somewhat surprised as well. He had not expected Wei Fan's speed to keep up with his.
But thinking of Wei Fan's talent for martial arts, he did not question it further.
The red Signal Flare had come from the village's southern district. At their speed, they could arrive in half an incense stick's time.
From afar atop the city wall, they could already see swaying torches and five figures.
"Stop. Don't get any closer!" Shi Meng halted and warned him at the same time.
Wei Fan stopped as well.
Looking ahead again, he was startled to discover that the five figures stood perfectly still, like puppets. Under the flickering firelight, they looked exceptionally eerie.
"What kind of monster is this?" Wei Fan became vigilant as well.
"I don't know!" Shi Meng shook his head, his face dark as he stared at the tall figure among the five.
Like Shi Meng, that man was one of the Night Watchers' Vice Captains—Zhao Hu, a martial artist in the Divine Strength Realm.
Zhao Hu had now fallen into danger too, with his fate unknown. Shi Meng did not dare recklessly put himself at risk.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
A tremendous sound of charging came from the distance. A burly man smashed through the ground as he rushed over.
Wei Fan raised an eyebrow, because the man's aura clearly belonged to a Divine Strength Realm martial artist as well.
He was also Zhao Long, Vice Captain of the western district, and Zhao Hu's twin brother.
"Brother Hu!" Seeing Zhao Hu's motionless figure, Zhao Long's eyes bulged with rage as he prepared to rush forward and rescue him.
"Don't be impulsive! Come back!" Shi Meng warned.
"Stay out of my business!" Zhao Long slapped two talismans onto his saber hilt and charged forward.
BUZZ!
The instant Zhao Long neared that eerie area, the torches planted in the city wall suddenly flared brightly.
The heads of the previously motionless people twisted a full one hundred and eighty degrees in an unnatural manner. Their spines were directly wrenched apart, producing a sound that made one's scalp crawl!
Shi Meng and the others' expressions changed at once, a chill rising in their hearts.
"Hm?" Zhao Long halted, his face incomparably grim.
He was no fool. The Night Watchers of the southern district were clearly beyond saving.
The threat of death was like a basin of icy water poured over him, instantly calming him down considerably.
And with no sign of any monster nearby, Zhao Long began to consider retreating.
Just then, the five people transformed into five black shadows and charged toward Zhao Long.
"Get lost!" Zhao Long slashed out with his saber, colliding with the steel blade of the first figure and sending sparks flying.
"Ordinary Night Watchers have had their strength enhanced after undergoing Monstrous Transformation?" Zhao Long did not dare let down his guard. He immediately used his secret technique for triple explosive power, and his body swelled once more.
BANG! BANG! BANG! His overwhelming strength directly sent the three Monstrous Transformation Night Watchers behind them flying.
CLANG!
At that moment, the transformed Zhao Hu slashed down with his saber.
Facing his own blood brother from the past, Zhao Long hesitated for an instant and raised his saber to block.
But Zhao Hu had originally been a Divine Strength Realm martial artist. After being strengthened by the Monstrous Transformation, his strength was even more shocking. Zhao Long could not withstand it for a moment—his right arm was shattered, and he was flung away, crashing heavily to the ground.
"I never expected Zhao Long to fail to withstand even a single move!" Shi Meng's face was solemn.
Zhao Long was slightly stronger than he was.
If Zhao Long could not withstand him, then Shi Meng was no match for the transformed Zhao Hu either.
After knocking Zhao Long down, the five people's heads twisted unnaturally again, their eerie gazes turning in unison toward Shi Meng and Wei Fan.
"This is bad! Wei Fan, run!" Shi Meng warned him, drawing his saber as he turned to meet the five.
Seeing this, Wei Fan knew Zhao Long was buying time for him to escape, and warmth rose in his heart.
But through his observations, he had already discovered these monsters' weakness.
SHING!
Wei Fan drew his saber with lightning speed, striking after yet arriving first. A flash of silver light streaked past, and the bodies of the five transformed martial artists froze in place.
"?" Shi Meng stared at Wei Fan with a baffled expression.
He did not understand why Wei Fan's single slash had stopped them from attacking.
The situation had just been critical enough that he had already prepared to be injured.
Yet because of Wei Fan's one slash, the situation had instantly reversed.
"These people are being controlled by transparent threads." Wei Fan held his saber horizontally. On its blade were glistening, translucent threads that could not be noticed without close inspection.
"So that's how it is!" Shi Meng nodded.
Yet Shi Meng's heart was deeply shaken. In such a critical moment, Wei Fan had actually been able to calmly notice those tiny threads. Such calmness and rationality were truly rare.
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