NOVEL NEXT Chapter 840: Mutated Mothman
District One.
Ye Shikai and Nightmare attacked together, one in front and one behind. Despite Boss Xing's previously concealed strength, he struggled to withstand the "slaughter" by these two masters. He could only avoid their sharp edges; the narrow corridor prevented Boss Xing from properly displaying his knife skills, and most of his moves were empty tricks, seemingly trying to escape. But Ye Shikai wouldn't give him that chance, as his reinforcements were right behind him. If he could capture Boss Xing, the HST project would be finished.
Roar.
Suddenly, a loud noise came from behind the three, and Ye Shikai quickly turned his head. Two Mothmen were charging towards them, their eyes glowing red. Although their forms were similar to before, the Mothmen's originally blue shell and head had turned deep purple. Ye Shikai sensed an aura of murder; these Mothmen were probably even harder to defeat than before.
These were Boss Xing's summoned "accomplices," and Nightmare also felt a sense of crisis, not daring to be careless.
Roar.
"Sir, they seem much stronger than before," Nightmare said coldly.
"Indeed, I felt it too."
Both stepped back simultaneously, no longer entangled with Boss Xing. The Mothmen were approaching; if they didn't withdraw, it would become a three-against-two scenario, placing Ye Shikai at a disadvantage.
The Mothmen sprinted to Boss Xing's front, using their bodies to shield him, frustrating Ye Shikai. These were clearly two super bodyguards.
"It's not easy to develop the upgraded version, so let them test it first," Boss Xing sneered coldly, then ran towards the exit.
"Don't even think about leaving," Ye Shikai shouted angrily, gripping his sword and charging straight ahead, striking forcefully.
Bang.
In a flash, a shadow flickered by from the side, and the next second, Ye Shikai felt a numbing sensation at his grip—like a knife hitting an iron board, sparks flew. Upon careful inspection, it was a Mothman's arm. The Ghost-forged metal sword was incredibly hard, even strong hydraulic presses couldn't damage it, yet striking the Mothman's shell yielded no effect. What terrifyingly strong defense!
Ye Shikai swung his sword, changing its direction to slash horizontally upward at the Mothman's neck. Before he could strike, the Mothman retreated a step, dodging the deadly blade. These Mothmen, standing at 2.3 meters tall, blocked the already narrow corridor tightly, allowing Boss Xing to escape. Ye Shikai was anxious, wanting to pursue but not daring to be too bold, lest the Mothmen in front seize the opportunity.
"Sir, I'll hold them off; you go chase," Nightmare said coldly, ready for a life-and-death battle.
"No," Ye Shikai hesitated but ultimately refused. He gauged the Mothmen's strength from just the brief encounter; Nightmare wasn't their match. Forcing a blockade might lead to unforeseen incidents. Ye Shikai was eager to capture Boss Xing but wouldn't risk the lives of those beside him.
"Let's deal with these two first," Ye Shikai stated coldly, retrieving the Fire Element from the Storage Ring and infusing it with Inner Strength. A massive fireball immediately appeared in his hand.
"Burn them," Ye Shikai shouted, unleashing roaring flames that startled the Mothmen. They hadn't expected these two humans to "play with fire." Although the Mothmen's shells were hard, they couldn't withstand the fierce flames of the Fire Element entirely. It seemed the "upgraded version" that Boss Xing boasted was less than perfect. In the narrow corridor, facing the flames, the Mothmen couldn't dodge left or right and had to keep retreating.
"Nightmare, strike!" Ye Shikai shouted. From within the flames, a figure darted out. Nightmare launched a surprise attack, thrusting their twin daggers at the Mothmen. The Mothmen were unprepared, and the daggers pierced their necks, one of the few areas without shell protection. The Mothmen screamed in agony, clawing aggressively. Nightmare deftly retreated, causing their paws to strike nothing.
"Damn, couldn't defeat them," Nightmare cursed harshly. Though lacking shells, the Mothmen's thick skin was a natural defense. The daggers only pierced them but didn't directly kill them.
Soon, the Mothmen regained composure. Nightmare's attack seemed to have angered them; they clawed aggressively, puncturing the reinforced concrete wall.
"Nightmare, fall back," Ye Shikai said, thinking quickly. He pulled Nightmare behind him, retrieving the Water Element from the Storage Ring—a gift from Ji Qian at a birthday party, which Ye Shikai almost forgot due to his habit of using the Fire Element.
Several Ice Souls shot out, freezing the Mothmen's arms in blocks of ice, suspended in midair. The Mothmen were initially shocked, then humiliated and enraged, smashing the ice against the wall forcefully.
"Again," Ye Shikai, seeing its effectiveness, repeated the process, freezing the Mothmen's arms and knees. Their movements were suddenly hindered. Seizing the opportunity, Nightmare charged and fiercely stabbed at one Mothman's neck.
Green blood splattered out; Nightmare pressed harder, thrusting their daggers down. The Mothmen let out agonized screams, struggling to break free from the ice's freezing constraint.
Ten seconds later, Nightmare gradually felt the Mothmen's resistance weaken. Once they ceased struggle altogether, Nightmare withdrew their daggers.
The Mothmen slowly collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"Nightmare, watch out!" Ye Shikai shouted loudly. The other Mothman had suddenly shattered the ice, breaking free from its frozen confines. Seizing the moment as Nightmare was catching their breath, it raised a claw high. Ye Shikai quickly drew out the Water Element again, continuously powering it with Inner Strength. An ice spike gradually formed, stabbing directly at the Mothman's chest…
Bang.
Initially, they thought the Mothman's shell would protect it without harm, but the ice spike pierced directly through the shell, chilling the Mothman thoroughly.
Nightmare swiftly turned around, witnessing the scene, instinctively swinging their dagger backward.
Slash.
The dagger precisely cut across the Mothman's neck, green blood splashing out. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Shikai charged, raising his sword and fiercely stabbed at its chest.
The Mothman died.
"Boss, are you guys alright?" Before long, Jeddon and Short-nosed Crocodile also arrived with their men. The Mothman's blood emitted a stench, permeating the narrow corridor.
"We're fine," Ye Shikai panted heavily. After expending so much effort, he finally dealt with the two Mothmen, but Boss Xing had escaped…