Chapter Six: Battle
After charging straight toward Xiao Zhang, the monster abruptly stopped in front of him, snorted heavily, cast a disdainful glance, then lumbered off into the woods on the other side.
“I—I bought a watch last year! Damn it, it’s ignoring me!”
Xiao Zhang stared silently at the departing monster for several seconds before the system drifted over beside him. “Brick, should we go after it?”
From deep within the forest, the creature’s shrieks echoed intermittently. Judging by the direction and the map’s hints, it seemed the players had already encountered it.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Was he not considered a player?
The system ignored him and transformed into a beam of light that shot straight into Xiao Zhang’s head.
“Host identity confirmed. Would you like to bind?”
“Bind!”
“Please confirm.”
“Confirm.”
Host identity confirmed, binding in progress...
“What the hell is this! Brick, why did you bind me again?”
“Don’t talk. Being chosen by me is your greatest fortune. I’ll now enter sleep mode for twenty-four hours. Play by yourself. And remember those enhancement points I gave you—don’t die before I reboot, or you really won’t come back.”
“Hey, hey, Brick, don’t go! Why is there only a hundred points?”
A beep sounded. “System entering sleep mode.”
What kind of situation was this! If this was game logic... Never mind how such absurd things could happen; was he a player or an NPC?
Xiao Zhang opened his light screen and discovered a new option. He tapped it.
A quest appeared.
On the quest interface, a red question mark beckoned. He clicked it, and suddenly the following appeared:
Quest One: Kill or capture a boss.
Hint: Known boss.
Another question mark. He tapped it.
A thumbnail of the monster flashed before his eyes.
Mutated Six-Eyed Corpse King: Grade A+.
That thing was a Corpse King? Xiao Zhang couldn’t help but scoff: Six eyes! It was practically a whole forehead of eyeballs!
Looking further down, Xiao Zhang found another quest.
Quest Two: Kill or eliminate all players.
Below, a dense list of names filled the screen.
Player One: Grade D-
Player Two: Grade E+
...
At the bottom, it said: Choose one quest to complete.
If this was a game... then this was practically cheating!
So was he an NPC or a player?
If he chose the Corpse King, the quest was to kill that outrageously ugly boss. Although “capture” was an option, Xiao Zhang immediately ruled it out.
But how could he fight it? Grade A+ was nothing to mess with! Even after spending a thousand enhancement points, he’d only reached Grade B-.
With his combat power, facing that A+ Corpse King, he’d probably be devoured in one bite.
Xiao Zhang didn’t rush out brandishing his sword to challenge the boss—what if it killed him outright? And apparently, he didn’t have any resurrection coins.
Maybe... only one shot at this?
If he helped the monster, the players might target him. Still, Xiao Zhang leaned toward siding with the players, though he had no intention of risking his neck.
After pondering for several minutes and watching many glowing dots vanish from the map, Xiao Zhang decided he couldn’t wait any longer!
Gripping his “lightsaber” in one hand and a wrench in the other, Xiao Zhang charged toward the battlefield. No matter what, he’d at least take a look first.
He hadn’t reached the field when a prompt sounded overhead: “Boss has entered berserk mode. All players proceed to S safe zone.”
A roar thundered from the distant woods: “Roar!!!!”
Shouts followed: “Run! Head to S point!”
Chaos erupted in the forest, and soon a crowd surged forth like refugees, most bearing wounds.
A massive silhouette chased them out!
One straggler was tackled by the Corpse King, torn apart without even a scream, shredded like paper.
Watching the grotesque scene, Xiao Zhang swallowed hard. Come on!
The creature didn’t pounce right away, but stopped in front of Xiao Zhang, cautiously inching forward, surprising him.
He swung his lightsaber and wrench, suppressing the fear and disgust rising within.
The Corpse King didn’t attack immediately, instead standing about ten meters away, all its bizarre eyeballs fixed on Xiao Zhang.
After a minute of standoff, Xiao Zhang felt chilled by its gaze. He taunted, “Come on, little buddy, I’ll give you a big sausage.”
Damn, his arm was numb! Why wouldn’t it move?
He didn’t dare run either!
“Little brother, if you don’t want to fight, why don’t we team up?” Just as Xiao Zhang debated teaming up with the monster to slaughter players, someone was teleported from above and dropped between him and the Corpse King.
“Ahhh!”
With a thud, the newcomer landed between Xiao Zhang and the Corpse King, apparently infuriating the creature!
Roar!
With a savage howl, the Corpse King lunged—not at Xiao Zhang, but at the unlucky newcomer.
Xiao Zhang, ever pragmatic, started to sidestep, but realized the new arrival was that “little brother” from before...
Glancing at his lightsaber, Xiao Zhang hurled it without hesitation!
Grade A strength sent the lightsaber flying like a dart, embedding itself squarely in the Corpse King’s head.
The Corpse King, just about to maul the white-clad youth, jerked upright, all its eyes glaring at Xiao Zhang.
“Little brother, feeling good?” Xiao Zhang said, then threw his wrench.
The Corpse King staggered, truly enraged now, and with a furious roar, opened its bloody maw and charged at Xiao Zhang.
He spun aside, dodging the Corpse King, and dashed to the white-robed youth, hoisting him onto his shoulder. “Stop playing dead! If you don’t move, you’ll really die!”
With a roar, the Corpse King seized the moment, swiping at Xiao Zhang before he could react.
Rip! Xiao Zhang screamed in pain!
His shirt tore, a horrific gash opened across his chest!
The agony nearly made him faint, but the pain seemed to awaken something deep within him...