Watching Li Gui’s miserable state, some people present couldn't help but feel a flicker of pity in their hearts.
However, that pity was useless. Due to the effect of the Crown of Time Lag, they found it difficult even to close their eyes at this moment.
They were forced to witness this cruel scene.
It was fortunate that Bai Feifei was currently deep in sleep; otherwise, she might not have been able to accept Xu Mo’s current methods.
Xu Mo didn't care what others thought. This state placed a heavy burden on him, and to avoid leaving any hidden injuries in Bai Feifei’s body, he had to finish this quickly.
As the pitch-black spear thrust into the chest cavity and crushed who-knew-which number heart, the light of life finally faded from Li Gui’s eyes, which were filled with hatred and confusion.
This cruel execution finally came to an end.
Xu Mo took a step back and flicked the foul blood off the tip of his spear.
The position of the final heart had been hidden deep within the crevice between the spine and the pelvis; it had taken him quite a while to find it.
“Quite the grower, aren’t you?”
He cursed under his breath and reached up to remove the crown from his head.
The golden light of the Crown of Time Lag slowly receded, and the viscous sensation of time being slowed drained away from the space like a ebbing tide. Everyone regained their ability to move at the same time.
Snap.
He casually snapped his fingers, and the effects of the Crown of Time Lag were completely canceled.
Li Gui’s main torso collapsed entirely at the sound of that snap. The bones that had supported his body seemed to have their last ounce of strength drained, scattering with a loud crash.
That deformed head, covered in eyes, rolled onto the ground. All the eyes remained wide open, their pupils frozen in the final moment of disbelief before death.
He hadn't understood. He had touched that power and clearly stepped across that threshold—how could he die at the hands of someone who hadn't even uttered a single Word Soul?
Even up until the moment of his death, he hadn't been able to discern the other party’s true strength!
Xu Mo looked at the head staring up from the ground and kicked it away, not wanting those eyes to gawk at him.
“What are you staring at?”
“Being able to die by my hand like this... your life can finally be considered valuable.”
Through this clash with Li Gui, he had gained a rough understanding of the power he possessed in this state.
After speaking the Word Soul, he could channel the power of the Heart of the Real World, allowing a suit of black armor to envelop him. This significantly increased his physical strength to a level roughly equivalent to an Edgerunner.
In the future, as Bai Feifei’s level increased, this synchronized enhancement should become even stronger.
At the same time, he was immune to the influence of aberration auras, and his own aura exerted a suppressive effect on such creatures.
Furthermore, he could condense that black airflow into physical objects to attack his opponents.
Overall, this could be considered an extremely powerful trump card, giving him an absolute sense of security in the early stages. He had truly struck gold!
The surrounding Scavengers had regained their mobility, but they remained in their previous positions, none of them daring to move.
Hong Jiu stood by the pile of rubble, the flames on his body mostly extinguished, revealing skin covered in wounds.
He stared at the pile of rotting meat that used to be Li Gui for several seconds, his jaw twitching.
Wan Qianhong leaned against the rock wall, her lips trembling as if she wanted to ask something, but in the end, she remained silent.
She had seen many dead people and killed many aberrations with her own hands, but what had transpired in those last ten minutes had exceeded all her understanding of the word “slaughter.”
Moreover, at this very moment, that black figure stood amidst Li Gui’s mangled remains with his arms spread wide, looking as if he were enjoying something.
Was he... savoring the thrill of the dismemberment and execution he just performed?
This is too damn psychopathic. Is he even still sane?
This was the collective thought in the minds of at least eighty percent of the Scavengers present.
But they didn't dare say it.
Nonsense, who would dare? That pile of smoking, rotten meat was the best possible warning.
Xu Mo stood in place with his eyes closed, wearing an expression of pure bliss.
But he wasn't enjoying the aftermath of the slaughter; he was savoring this massive wave of experience points.
The sensation was extraordinary. When killing low-level aberrations, the influx of experience was like a trickling stream, almost imperceptible.
But killing an Avatar-level aberration provided feedback like a firework exploding in his mind.
It was scalding, boundless, as if something were burning within his veins.
Then, he saw the notifications change on his character panel.
【Character Level: Level 32 → Level 42】
【Congratulations! You have gained 10 levels in a single battle, reaching the single-upgrade limit.】
【Current Character: Bai Feifei (Sleeping)】
【Level: Level 42 (Rank 4 Scavenger).】
Ten levels.
He had jumped ten levels at once!
The feeling was absolutely exhilarating. It was only because Bai Feifei’s current level was so much lower than Li Gui’s that such a soaring effect was possible.
Xu Mo knew he might only get one such chance to enjoy this, so he naturally had to savor it thoroughly.
After a long while, the sensation faded. Xu Mo opened his eyes and looked down at “his” hands.
The layer of black armor still enveloped him, but the muscle lines beneath the plates were noticeably tighter than before.
He could feel Bai Feifei’s body digesting this sudden surge of power. Her bones were subtly adjusting, her muscles were being reshaped, and even the rhythm of her breathing had changed.
“Heh, it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this comfortable.”
He muttered to himself, his voice sounding raspy and low from behind the faceplate.
But to those around him, these words carried an entirely different meaning.
You used the Crown of Time Lag to restrain your opponent, made them watch as they were subjected to a death by a thousand cuts, and then you say it’s “comfortable”...
If this isn't a psycho, then what the hell is?
Hong Jiu’s jaw tightened, and he instinctively took half a step back.
He considered himself a hardened man, and there were no cowards among the Rangers, but he wouldn't stand around with his eyes closed savoring the moment after killing an opponent.
This “Masked Hermit Society” was simply too eerie.
Wan Qianhong’s face was also somewhat pale. She recalled what Bai Feifei had told her before—“For certain reasons, my mental state is indeed a bit unstable at times.”
She was now starting to suspect if the membership requirement for the “Masked Hermit Society” was that one had to be a mental patient first.
Xu Mo didn't know what these people were thinking; he was still focused on his game panel.
【Special Storyline: Mystery of the Black Smoke Coal Mine.】
【Current Completion: 99%】
One percent short.
Xu Mo: ?
What’s missing?
This wasn't right. What else was there to complete? Was the game system trying to stiff him on the rewards by stalling him?
Damn developers, trying to suppress my combat power, are you?
He frowned in thought. Just then, Hong Jiu spoke up.
“This... friend.”
Hong Jiu’s voice was much more polite than usual, and his phrasing was clearly measured.
He took a step forward. The wounds on his body were still seeping blood, but he ignored them, instead solemnly cupping his fists toward Xu Mo.
“Thank you for your help. The Rangers will remember this favor!”
He paused for a moment.
“May I ask... is Your Excellency a member of the Masked Hermit Society?”
Rate on N.U.
