Chapter 8. A Human-Form Corrupted Monster Mutant?

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Is this... the depths of the corrupted zone?

Ignoring the sign ahead, Lyle stepped into the deeper layers of the corrupted zone and felt a strange wave of energy wash over him.

However, the mark on the back of his left hand immediately gave off a warm current, and in the blink of an eye, that slight discomfort disappeared.

Even when Lyle tried to sense it again, he could not find a single trace, as if that eerie wave had never existed at all.

"Alright, stop spacing out,"

Jiang Cheng frowned and looked at Lyle as she spoke.

"The mutated species in the depths of the corrupted zone are far stronger than those weaklings outside."

Lyle nodded, not the least bit arrogant because the previous battles had gone smoothly.

Jiang Cheng knew many things he didn't, and he had unconsciously come to trust her—almost by instinct.

"That's right,"

Ferran, who rushed over, nodded and said.

"The mutated species deeper in have much greater power. I once saw a mutated species over ten meters tall, like a small mountain."

"That's just a giant mutated species—the most common weakling in the depths."

Jiang Cheng shook her head slightly and smiled at Ferran.

"As for the rarest and most dangerous mutated species, you should know what that is, right?"

"This..."

Ferran hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and speaking.

"Yes, I have seen the most terrifying mutated species. It was completely human-shaped."

"It even had human memories and habits. The only abnormal thing was that its four limbs were covered in large patches of black stains, just like rotten mud."

Hearing this, Lyle frowned. "So where did its memories and habits come from?"

"That..."

Ferran swallowed.

"Of course, it acquired them by consuming the corpses it killed."

When he heard this confirmation, which had already appeared in his mind as a suspicion, fury filled Lyle's eyes.

As a Hero, he could not tolerate such desecration of corpses.

"Alright~"

Jiang Cheng yawned, showing no interest at all in things she already knew.

She never cared about the lives or deaths of these people, let alone what happened to their corpses.

"Compared to that, Lyle, go kill the giant corrupted monster blocking the path first."

Jiang Cheng spoke indifferently, pointing to the corrupted monster blocking the passage ahead.

The monster was about fourteen meters tall, completely blocking the narrow tunnel, not letting a single ray of sunlight through.

"Gulu gulu..."

Accompanied by the squirming, sticky sound of a fluid, a pair of crooked eyes looked toward Jiang Cheng and the others.

"Roar!"

A howl sounded as the monster desperately tried to squeeze through and kill them, but got stuck in the entrance.

Jiang Cheng turned to Lyle, signaling for him to take action.

Lyle said nothing. He drew his longsword, and in the next instant, complex, holy golden runes appeared along the blade.

The runes were densely inscribed in Elvish, filled with natural and divine power.

Lyle stomped hard on the ground, shooting forward at lightning speed.

As he moved, the sword's glow grew ever brighter, bursting into dazzling golden light.

Boom!

As Lyle slashed forward, overwhelming magical energy erupted forth.

The longsword unleashed a massive slash like a beam of light.

In the next moment, the enormous corrupted monster was effortlessly pulverized—leaving not a trace behind.

"Tsk,"

Jiang Cheng sighed.

"Being a Hero sure is nice—only a Hero's nearly limitless magic could let him attack so extravagantly."

Unlike her, who still had to use caution even when casting costly divine spells.

"Ah~ The Hero's talent really is more convenient."

As she spoke, Jiang Cheng lifted her left arm.

At some point, she had already traced a vertical wound along her left arm with her finger.

"Divine Art—Mechanical Bow."

In the next instant, the blood flowing from the wound transformed into a composite bow covered with intricate gears.

Without even looking, Jiang Cheng nonchalantly tapped the bow. It drew itself and shot an arrow directly at herself.

Puchi.

The air before Jiang Cheng rippled, and the blood arrow shot from the longbow pierced straight through the core of a suddenly appearing corrupted monster.

"An invisible type? Did you really think I was just the kind of weakling who can only talk big?"

"All mage professions—only those foolish turret-mages who only train their fireball spell's power would fail to see you."

As Jiang Cheng spoke, her golden eyes, glowing with the emblem of gears, gazed outside the cave entrance.

Lyle, having dispatched the giant corrupted monster, quickly ran back to stand guard by Jiang Cheng's side.

"As expected of the Saintess."

A voice suddenly rang out.

At the mouth of the cave, the void rippled and a figure appeared.

It was a girl who looked eighteen or nineteen, dressed in a black formal gown.

But her bare arms were covered in patches of mud-like, rotting stains, looking vicious and ugly.

"A human-shaped mutant?"

Lyle's blue eyes narrowed as he gripped his sword tightly.

Faced with a monster that not only played with the memories of others but also desecrated their corpses, he would show no mercy.

"Greetings, hero," the girl curtsied, holding her skirt as she addressed Lyle.

Then she turned to Jiang Cheng.

"Saintess, since you know so much, you must also understand my reason for coming, right?"

"Ha."

Jiang Cheng laughed.

"Of course I do. However..."

She lifted her hand lightly and smiled, "As compensation for your sneak attack just now, let me give you a taste of a high-rank divine art."

"You've already injured yourself to use a divine art. You can't use any more high-rank spells," the girl shook her head.

"No, no."

Jiang Cheng shook her head, smiling.

"I am a Saintess, after all."

She raised her arm—its wound had already disappeared.

Jiang Cheng's exclusive Saintess talent allowed her to quickly recover from any injury inflicted as a price for casting divine arts.

However, for her, the pain during the process of using a divine art was one and a half times greater than normal.

"Crack."

Jiang Cheng extended her right hand and forcibly broke all five fingers on her left.

Opposite her, the girl's body began to twist grotesquely in a truly inhuman way.

"Crack crack—"

The sound of breaking bones echoed without end, until finally the girl's head spun a full 180 degrees before the divine art's effect ended.

"Phew, that familiar pain. Now that feels better."

Shaking her hand, her once-broken fingers now fully restored, Jiang Cheng beamed.

"Alright, we can continue talking now."

The girl straightened her head, gave a helpless smile, and said,

"It's nothing. I merely wish to invite the Saintess and the Hero to visit our home."

"Who would visit your filthy graveyard?"

Lyle said coldly.

The girl fell silent, simply watching Jiang Cheng.

"Okay then~"

Jiang Cheng smiled, as if she'd expected the girl to come for nothing else.

"Jiang Cheng?!"

Lyle turned to her in shock, only to see her smile unfazed.

"Alright, alright,"

Jiang Cheng said with a grin to Lyle. "Once we go, you'll understand."

Truthfully—after making that judgment, Lyle was silent a while but finally chose to trust Jiang Cheng.

"And one more thing," the girl suddenly said. "The reason I am the one to come is also because...

"To meet my little brother. Isn't that right, Ferran?"

Lyle turned in shock. Ferran, who had been silent for a long time, was now glaring death at the girl, his eyes full of murderous intent.

"My sister's been dead for a long time."

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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