Chapter Fifty-One: First Encounter with a Lord-Level Being
“Sir Mu Chen, have we arrived?” Sensing Mu Chen’s pause, Ivy asked softly.
“Not yet,” he replied, “I just noticed a place I’ve visited before.”
Ivy’s question reminded Mu Chen of the furniture inside the villa. If nothing else, hauling the sofa back would surely make Mu Jiu’er ecstatic for an entire day.
“We’ll take a look when we return…”
...
A heavy mist shrouded the land, every inch saturated with misery and despair.
They reached the intersection of the highway and the grain storage facility. Even from a distance, the circular structure of the storage base was visible.
Yet in just two days, the withered vegetation on either side of the road had mutated—twisted branches now sent ominous chills down the spine of any onlooker.
At the same time—
“Screech! Screech! Screech!”
A piercing wail split the silence.
Instantly, Mu Chen and his companions near the storage base were on high alert.
[You are under sonic attack and have entered a state of dizziness.]
A splitting headache seized him. Clutching his ears, Mu Chen felt his senses lock up, and both he and Ivy were paralyzed.
When the stiffness faded, both felt a surge of relief. They had no idea what had just occurred, but it was clear neither had been directly targeted—they were simply caught in the crossfire...
[It’s said a distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor. Right now, a grand drama is unfolding within the grain storage base. The little spiders have set their sights on the Ten-Death Beast, hoping it will offer up its head to help them breed the next generation. Yet the Ten-Death Beast refuses, and the battle between them has reached a fever pitch.]
[Young man, take some advice: don’t let impulsiveness cloud your judgment. Keep your head down—there’s nothing wrong with staying low. In this, you could learn from Little Bone. Of course, you can also choose a high-profile entrance, and then die a miserable death...]
“The monsters in the storage base are fighting each other?” Mu Chen was stunned.
“And it’s over breeding?” The image of the grotesque, horrifying “Street Creeper” flashed unbidden through his mind.
...
Best if those things were all wiped out.
Since that’s the case, there’s nothing wrong with being a hunter—let the bullets fly first.
He glanced at Ivy, noticing her gaze had never left him. After the recent sonic assault, she was clearly worried a monster might attack him.
“Ivy, listen to me. The monsters inside the storage base have lost their minds. Actually, it’s all for the sake of their offspring…”
Ivy said nothing.
“If we stay here, we could be discovered at any moment. Let’s find a place nearby to hide. We’ll move in once the fighting ends.”
Surveying the area, Mu Chen saw they were less than five hundred meters from the entrance. If they continued along the road without entering the base, there was a makeshift residential district ahead. He had once made black powder there.
The two of them and the skeleton crept quietly along the base of the wall.
...
As they passed the main gate, the shrieks and clashes inside grew more distinct, sending a chill down their spines.
Holding their breath, they pressed on.
“Hmm?” Behind him, Little Bone tugged at his sleeve, pointing across the road.
Mu Chen looked over.
Three headless juvenile abominations lay sprawled on the ground...
He understood what Little Bone meant, but now was not the time for distractions. Any misstep could spell disaster.
He shook his head at Little Bone, signaling they should move on.
Seeing his refusal, Little Bone obediently let go and followed in silence.
...
Three minutes later.
The howls behind them faded. They had reached the edge of the residential district.
This area must have once housed workers from the nearby factories. Most of the alleyways were lined with single-story dwellings; only a few were two stories.
In just two days, the area had changed from desolate to chaotic; deep claw marks now marred the cement walls.
They hadn’t gone far before a turn ahead was blocked by a thick web, sealing off the path completely.
Mu Chen narrowed his eyes. Through the threads, he could faintly see basketball-sized, ink-green eggs clustered on the ground.
“A spider’s nest?”
The thought flashed by, and he immediately summoned the Soul-Calming Nail to slice through the web.
The moment it vanished, Mu Chen’s pupils contracted. For a heartbeat, he was stunned—then a sharp pain in his arm brought him back to reality. Ivy had gripped him tightly.
Eggs carpeted the ground, so many that just looking at them made his scalp tingle. Deeper inside, a massive egg the size of a millstone pulsed, as if about to hatch at any moment.
“This place must be destroyed!” That was Mu Chen’s first thought.
[Monster: Street Creeper’s Egg]
[In ten minutes, three baby spiders will hatch. In fifteen minutes, the innermost lord egg will also complete its incubation.]
[You realize that if you clear all these eggs, not just two, but three levels up may not be a dream! But… are you truly prepared to face a lord-level monster?]
Before Mu Chen could give the order, Little Bone had already launched the attack.
A white bone arrow pierced a basketball-sized egg; black liquid splattered across the wall, and the head inside rolled out with a sickening gurgle.
Little Bone hurried over, scooping up the head to feed.
Seeing this, Mu Chen gritted his teeth. “Let’s do it!”
“Ivy!”
Before he finished speaking, Ivy understood.
“Thunder of Penance!”
Golden bolts crashed down, shattering every egg within their range.
Near the broken shells, several nearly-hatched “Street Creepers” let out pitiful cries; their eight limbs curled in agony before falling still.
[Recruit Ivy has slain 26 “Unformed Street Creepers.” You receive 40% of the total experience.]
Level up to 9.
Gained 1 potential point.
He paid no attention to the experience notification.
Because—
Mu Chen’s black eyes were locked on the deepest monster.
[Lord: Street Creeper (Imperfect Development)]
[An adult abomination’s head is being cultivated. In terms of strength, it far surpasses its kin. Under threat, it has forced its hatching and was unable to mature fully.]
Skill 1: Abyssal Intimidation. Skill 2: Piercing Howl. Skill 3: Beheading. Skill 4: Corrosive Spray. Skill 5: Body of Despair (Incomplete)
A violent shudder ran through Mu Chen. A wave of dread surged up, threatening to drown him.
Something had gone wrong!
In an instant, he felt an overwhelming, mysterious power engulf him.
Worse still, his vision was rapidly shifting—what was once gray turned pitch black, as if he were being dragged into some horrific abyss.
“No! This is—”
He bit his tongue, clearing his mind.
“The Lord-level ‘Street Creeper’ has struck! If I’m not mistaken, this must be the Abyssal Intimidation skill mentioned in the information.”
Moreover, Abyssal Intimidation seemed to be a form of psychic manipulation, causing one to fall into terror of their own accord.
Suddenly—
A familiar sensation washed over him; Ivy had already cast a protective buff on him.
“Sir Mu Chen, this monster is extremely dangerous. Please, step back…”
Ivy fixed her gaze on the lord-level Street Creeper not far away, her face pale, hands gripping her cross tightly—ready to unleash all her power at any moment.