Chapter 121: Unexpected Death
Thump. Thump thump. Thump thump thump…
As Colin led Russell along the path toward the “High Court,” his heartbeat quickened, becoming harder to control. The increased heartbeat triggered corresponding physiological reactions: dry mouth, chest discomfort, labored breathing, and an unsettling sense of anxiety.
Simultaneously, a wave of irritability and restlessness arose within him. Colin couldn’t help but clench his fists.
They’re getting tighter; his fists are tightening! But now is not the time to activate “Hunting Time.” He was still over two hundred meters away from the statue of the divine mother, not yet close enough.
Keeping a constant eye on his surroundings, Colin knew that just a few more meters forward would awaken that terrifying life form.
Exhaling heavily, he quickly took out some explosives, the best and newest ones. These explosives were a recent production achievement from their base, finally mass-produced.
Their cost wasn’t much higher than that of black powder, but their performance was double, and they were more stable and efficient. Crucially, they had a faster explosion speed and higher blast heat, giving the target less time to react. This meant Colin’s actions had to be even more precise.
From now on, these explosives were being mass-produced, gradually replacing the original black powder. However, at this moment, Colin only had less than a ton of them—about eight large barrels.
Three hundred kilograms of the new explosives were taken out by Colin as a “greeting gift” for his first encounter with “Terbidad,” showing his sincere intentions. These barrels were about the same size as the high-purity black powder barrels but were made of different materials. They looked more like oversized “high-explosive grenades.”
[You realize that lighting the fuse will cause them to explode at an accurate time.][Although the hastily crafted metal barrels are not very smooth and their connections aren’t perfect, you believe their flaws are within acceptable limits.]
[The Shield of the Just Knight can withstand such an explosion!]
Despite having checked multiple times, Colin couldn’t help but confirm once more to avoid any accidents. This time, the one assisting Colin was not Sanna but Russell, with everyone else withdrawing beyond five hundred meters to avoid accidentally drawing aggro.
“I’ll go wake it up,” Russell said, moving forward.
He was the only one with “Blink.” Once “Terbidard” was awakened, he would immediately blink back to Colin, giving Colin buffer and thinking time. As the primary target for “Terbidard,” it would definitely attack here first. However, it was still uncertain whether “Terbidard” would run directly over or use a “Blink” ability similar to Russell’s to follow him.
These two movement types determined Colin’s timing for lighting the fuse. Even a one-second error could significantly reduce the explosive power and effectiveness.
Such a mistake would leave only one option: using human lives to trigger the explosives directly, a dangerous last resort.
“Maintain your pacing and timing to avoid any miscalculation.” Colin’s voice was cold and emotionless, like an emotionless hunter.
Simultaneously, his heartbeat gradually steadied, keeping him calm. In this state, the previously erratic hints also stabilized.
“Hunting Time” was activated.
“Don’t worry,” Russell, having taken all necessary drugs, nodded.
His six basic attributes had exceeded 5, so the mental interference wouldn’t affect him much in the short term. Counting silently in his mind, Russell stepped forward to draw aggro.
Despite the minimal mental interference, cold sweat began to seep from his body. This was unlike any battle he had experienced before, like walking on a tightrope over death. Any misstep could lead to a horrible end.
It seemed like Colin and his team were used to such high-stakes gambits. Even though Russell had survived many life-and-death situations, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Step by step, Russell felt as though a volcano was building up molten lava ahead, ready to erupt at any moment.
The final step! Thump!
Russell’s expression twisted as he clutched his chest; his heart suddenly throbbed with pain. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
At the same time, the antlered monster “Terbidard,” composed of trees, flesh, and bones, awakened in the arms of the divine mother statue! It slowly sat up and shook its head, soon displaying extreme anger.
“Roar—” A thunderous roar erupted from its mouth, sending a cloud of dust exploding outward, forming a dust wave several meters high. In that instant, Russell felt the air around him solidify, as if molten lava was surging.
Glowing white runes flashed on the statue of the divine mother, and chains of light bound its limbs. However, due to long neglect, these restraints had weakened significantly, and a mere pull from them broke them apart.
Seething with rage, “Terbidard” suppressed its instinctual bloodlust, using its elongated tree limbs to wrench the statue’s head off, venting its anger. At this moment, it resembled the beast from the dream, eternally tormented by steel nails, roaring like a wild animal with a thunderous heartbeat.
Incapable of finding peace!
The next second, Russell held his breath and blinked without hesitation, reappearing thirty meters away beside Colin.
At the same moment, an oval-shaped rock, accompanied by a thunderous breaking sound, smashed into Russell’s previous location. The statue’s head buried itself into the ground. Both Russell and Colin breathed a deep sigh of relief. If the ground had been solid instead of soil, the shrapnel from the explosion could have severely injured or killed them!
Despite this, the dust raised obscured their vision, making it hard to track “Terbidard’s” movements accurately.
[You realize now is the time to light the fuse!]
Seeing the hint, Colin lit the fuse without hesitation and cast “The Shield of the Just Knight” on Russell. The next moment, they were swiftly drawn into the familiar dueling ground.
As their figures blurred and disappeared, large tree roots burst from the ground, converging to form the enraged beast. At that moment, a bright orange-red explosion erupted on the ground, engulfing it.
A mushroom cloud rose into the air. “You guys come up with the craziest ideas,” Russell admired Colin and his team’s “wild tactics.”
“We don’t have guns or cannons, so we do what we can,” Colin said calmly, his tone devoid of emotion.
He scanned the blurry scene but didn’t see the figure from before. Because it had been blown away.
Not all lord-level mutants are as unyielding as the “Mourning Watcher”; it had been protected by the “Golden Ritual Robe”
However, Colin knew it wasn’t dead yet.
[The damage isn’t enough to kill it, but it has suffered significant damage, reducing its mental interference by fifty percent.]
“Fifty percent.” Colin wasn’t too surprised and continued, “Let’s wait until they lure this monster away.”
But the next second, Colin’s voice cut off abruptly, as if frozen in place.
[You realize “Terbidard” seems about to die.]
Impossible?! Colin’s eyes widened in disbelief. Just moments ago, it was lively, and now it was about to die? This was more shocking than if it had remained unscathed!
What on earth happened outside? Even with “Hunting Time” active, Colin couldn’t help but feel anxious, unsure what unexpected event had occurred.
How could “Terbidard” just die suddenly? What kind of joke is this?!