After a careful look, I breathed a slight sigh of relief, certain there was no immediate danger. But what to do next? Forcing my way through was out of the question, and finding help in such a vast area was impossible; moreover, a wrong step might lead me straight into the hands of the Mad Dragon Gang, which would be disastrous.
Of course, I had another idea: hide in a corner within the Coffin of Death and wait out the group guarding the entrance. My rations in the spatial pouch were enough to last me a year and a half; I doubted those fellows had the patience to stand guard for that long. Though it was a long wait, it was undeniably the safest path. With that thought, I began searching for a suitable hiding spot.
I found one quickly—a narrow gap between two massive stones. This was a natural hiding place! If I could just block the exit with another stone, no one passing by would ever suspect someone was hidden inside. No sooner thought than done, I started setting up my new lair.
I cautiously scouted my surroundings while carefully maneuvering a large stone in front of the opening. Thankfully, the area was deathly silent; any noise would mean one of two things: either members of the Mad Dragon Gang, the Divine Moon Palace, or the Alliance were nearby, or, naturally, that legendary creature, the Dragon-Touching God, which was rumored to erupt suddenly from the earth to ambush any creature that came close. It was completely unpredictable.
Heaven help me, I prayed I wouldn't run into it.
After about half an hour of strenuous work, I finally completed my camouflage. It should be safe enough to move inside now.
Thump! Whoosh!
I faintly heard a sound.
En, something was happening. I immediately tensed up and retreated into the stone hollow.
The direction of the sound seemed to be southeast. So, I cautiously poked out half my head to look toward the southeast.
The sounds grew clearer. It sounded like a fight.
“Don’t run, little miss!” From far off, I saw a figure, swift as lightning, charging rapidly toward my location.
Ah! It was her!
Golden long hair, a black mage robe. Even from a distance, I recognized her instantly. She seemed to be a Hall Master from the Twin Moon Palace. I recalled people nearby referring to her, another female Taoist, and a male warrior as the "Three Heroes of Twin Moon" or something similar.
But speaking of the Twin Moon Palace reminded me of the Divine Moon Palace—one was Twin Moon, the other Divine Moon; their names were quite similar. Could there be some connection between the two factions?
As I pondered this, the golden-haired female mage rushed to within twenty meters of my stone hollow. Chasing her were four members of the Mad Dragon Gang, dressed like High-level Rangers: two warriors, one mage, and one Taoist, all male.
Four men chasing one woman—damn it, the Mad Dragon Gang really had no class. And judging by their leering expressions as they chased, even an idiot could guess what would happen if the golden-haired female mage didn't escape them.
No wonder the golden-haired female mage looked horrified. It appeared those fellows had been chasing her for quite some time; everyone was panting heavily, drenched in sweat.
What incredible luck, I thought to myself, feeling fortunate. They say you search high and low for something, only to find it when you least expect it. I was just looking for members of the Twin Moon Palace or the Alliance, and here they were! Even with four High-level Rangers in pursuit, it didn't matter much. After all, I was, at the very least, a Red Moon tier expert by now; dealing with four High-level Rangers shouldn't be a problem. Especially since they looked exhausted from the long pursuit, making them even easier targets. Still, to be safe, I decided to ambush them.
Soon, the golden-haired female mage passed the large stone where I hid and continued running forward. A moment later, the four Mad Dragon Gang members reached about ten meters in front of me.
Now was the chance.
Roar! I suddenly pushed off with my legs, lunging toward the four approaching figures at astonishing speed. The Hundred Battles Long Saber in my hand moved like lightning, sweeping out horizontally.
Whoosh! A brilliant arc of white light, like a meteor tearing across the sky, appeared and vanished in an instant.
Ah! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Four jets of blood shot into the sky.
The four Mad Dragon Gang members, putting all their effort into the chase, didn't even have time to react or evade before I decapitated them all with one strike. They probably died without ever knowing what hit them. It was just bad luck on their part—their positioning was perfect for my blade's angle. My style of fighting, incidentally, was vividly dubbed the "Head-Chopping Technique" by Long Xin and the others. It had become second nature. I had decapitated countless Skeleton Warriors, but this was the first time I had ever taken a human head—and four at once.
I watched the four headless corpses run a good dozen steps forward before they crashed to the ground, their severed heads rolling simultaneously onto the dirt. All four heads stared wide-eyed, etched with expressions of horror and confusion. The scene was inexplicably eerie and bizarre, leaving me with a tingling scalp and a dizzying sense of exhaustion.
Frankly, this was the first time I had ever killed with my blade. Though I had witnessed much bloody carnage during previous large-scale guild battles, those were deaths inflicted by others, seemingly unrelated to me. And in my fight with Chi Xiao, I never intended to kill him; I only wanted to subdue him to escape.
But the situation now was different. If I didn't kill them, the certainty of endless trouble if even one of them escaped was something I desperately wanted to avoid.
I killed people!
My mind felt scattered.
“Hngh! Hngh! It’s! It’s you!” I heard hurried gasps from behind me.
“Heh heh! It is! Golden-haired beauty! We meet again!” Turning around, I saw the golden-haired female mage looking utterly disheveled. Her chaotic golden hair was draped over her left shoulder. Perhaps due to extreme exertion, her delicate, jade-like face was flushed crimson, and the rapid breathing caused her full chest to heave violently, stirring an immediate, primal urge within me.
Damn it, this woman was the epitome of a mature beauty that drove men mad; no wonder those four dead devils had chased her so relentlessly.
“Phew! I’m exhausted!” The golden-haired female mage collapsed onto a large stone. That marathon run must have taken a huge toll. She clearly wasn't concerned with ladylike composure now. “Hngh! Hngh! Um, say, Dark Boy, what are you doing all the way out here?”
“What Dark Boy?” I asked the beautiful blonde woman, confused.
“Well, I don’t know your name, so what else should I call you besides Dark Boy?” the blonde woman replied.
“Can’t you call me something nicer than Dark Boy?” This reminded me of African-Americans; the feeling was very uncomfortable, not because of any racial prejudice, but simply because…
“If not Dark Boy, then maybe Stinky Boy, or Brat?” The blonde woman seemed determined to antagonize me.
“Fine! My name is Xing Chen!” I finally gave in. After all, I had just saved her life. She hadn't shown a shred of gratitude and had given me a nickname like "Dark Boy."
“Then thank you for saving me, Xing Chen Boy.” The golden-haired woman finally showed a sliver of gratitude, but the way she said it sounded incredibly awkward to my ears.
“Please, just call me Xing Chen,” I said helplessly. “And, tell me, Persian Cat, what happened? Why were those four chasing you?”
“That’s a long story.” The golden-haired woman looked at me curiously. “Wait, what is a Persian Cat?”
“Heh heh, a Persian Cat is a legendarily cute little feline!” I said, gesturing with my hands. “Especially the golden-furred breed—impossible not to adore.” As I spoke, I subconsciously glanced at her wavy, golden hair. It was only fair; if she was going to call me Dark Boy or Stinky Boy, I should give her a nickname too. Besides, I was complimenting her.
“Hmph! You Stinky Boy, remember this: my name is Jin Bo, not some Persian Cat!” The golden-haired woman finally realized I had tricked her and jumped up in fury.
“Jin Bo!” I instinctively looked at her wavy golden hair and the heaving bosom encased in the black mage robe. Damn, what a profoundly fitting name, perfectly tailored for her! What was even more bizarre was the "Bo" character in her name.
“Jin Bo!” I murmured softly, “Truly, the person matches the name.”
“Hmph!” Seeing my strange expression, Jin Bo finally grasped my vulgar thoughts. “You little imp, if you dare spout nonsense again, I’ll tear your mouth off.”
“Ah!” I gasped, seeing the electrical magic energy rapidly gathering at the tips of her fingers. Jeez, this woman had a temper! Was it really necessary over a little joke? I quickly adopted a serious tone. “Um! Um! About the Jin Bo versus Persian Cat issue, let’s discuss that later, alright?”
I continued, “What I really want to know now is why you are here, and what happened to the Divine Moon Palace and the Alliance people.”
“Hmph! Smart boy!” Jin Bo seemed to realize this wasn't the time to debate cats, but her expression was clearly dejected. “Don’t even mention it. The Divine Moon Palace and the Great Alliance are done for. As for me, I, along with Jin Niu and Jin Bi, are members of the Great Alliance, so naturally, we were operating with them. But…”
“Ah!” My heart sank with a very bad feeling. “Did you really fall into their trap?”
“En!” Jin Bo nodded instinctively, then added, “I didn’t expect the Mad Dragon Gang to set up such a terrifying death trap. I nearly died there.”
“What kind of death trap was it?” I asked, surprised.
“The Evil Centipede,” Jin Bo murmured, still looking shaken. “That thing was truly huge, terrifying. In the blink of an eye, it turned dozens of Divine Moon Palace experts into piles of white bones.”
“What!” I exclaimed in horror. “Could it be the Dragon-Touching God?”
“Dragon-Touching God?” Jin Bo asked curiously. “What’s that?”
Sweat—I was flustered and confused. In this world, the Dragon-Touching God was precisely that massive BOSS called the Evil Centipede.
“The Dragon-Touching God is the Evil Centipede!” I urged, “You haven’t told me how that giant monster managed to kill dozens of Red Moon experts instantly.”
“Corrosion Magic!” Jin Bo trembled. “It was truly terrifying. I’ve never seen any creature grow so large—like a small mountain—and possess such horrifying magic. It merely spat out a wisp of smoke, and anyone caught in it instantly turned into a pile of white bones. If I hadn't been relatively far away, I’d be dead too!”
“Corrosion Magic!” I was shocked. The attack method of the Dragon-Touching God was exactly like in Legend!
“And the others?” I asked anxiously.
“I don’t know. At the time, Jin Niu, Jin Bi, and I were only focused on escaping. How could we worry about anyone else?”
“Jin Niu and Jin Bi!” I murmured. “You mean that big, bearded warrior and that female Taoist?”
“But the situation was too chaotic; I lost track of them,” Jin Bo looked worried. “I don’t know how they are doing now.” It was clear she was concerned for her comrades’ safety.
“I hope it’s not as bad as you think,” I offered some platitudinous comfort. Maybe we would meet them soon.
“En! Let’s hope so,” Jin Bo mumbled. “Big Stupid Bull is thick-skinned and tough; he probably didn't die easily. And Jin Bi is a Red Moon tier expert, so she should be able to protect herself.”
“That’s the spirit!” I quickly encouraged her. “Have faith in your partners.” To distract her, I continued, “Can you describe the situation in detail?” Truthfully, I was utterly impressed by the trap the Mad Dragon Gang had laid. What a clever strategy to use borrowed power, and the borrowed weapon was none other than the terrifying super-BOSS, the Dragon-Touching God. Whoever conceived this plan was either a maniac or a genius. However, I knew executing this plan wouldn't be easy. First, they had to know the Dragon-Touching God’s movements or its lair before setting the plan in motion. Second, luring the Divine Moon Palace and the Great Alliance members to the Dragon-Touching God’s location was the crucial part. Finally, successfully extricating themselves from the crisis was equally vital. If even one of these three links broke, the entire force would be annihilated, and the difficulty of each step was considerable. With the plan successfully executed, the Great Alliance was destined for heavy losses. While it was possible to kill the Dragon-Touching God in Legend with sufficient levels and numbers, in this world, the Dragon-Touching God was a creature so terrifying it bordered on invincible. It first appeared in the Coffin of Death over a thousand years ago, but no guild had ever been heard to attempt its annihilation. Of course, in the past, some reckless individuals had tried to kill the Dragon-Touching God, but their fates were gruesome. The Dragon-Touching God’s power absolutely could not be overcome by mere numbers or brute force. Once, a Demon-Slaying Squad composed of over a thousand Red Moon Rangers tried to kill it, but facing the terrifying creature, they barely had a chance to strike before they were nearly wiped out. The Rangers who miraculously escaped only said that the Dragon-Touching God was not something that could be defeated by sheer numbers. Furthermore, a direct confrontation meant certain death, with no chance to flee.
For nearly the next thousand years, no guild dared to attempt eradicating the Dragon-Touching God again. This was all documented in the Ranger Handbook, illustrating the creature's sheer, overwhelming strength.
For the Mad Dragon Gang to be able to leverage the Dragon-Touching God’s power to eliminate rival factions demonstrated how meticulous their coordination and planning were. These guys were terrifying.
Thinking of this still sent a chill down my spine. Now that I look back, escaping their encirclement unscathed was an act of incredible fortune.
Therefore, I was extremely eager to understand the exact sequence of events.
“This is what happened!” Jin Bo took a deep breath and slowly recounted their ordeal.
It turned out that Yan Luo and the Great Alliance members had been aggressively pursuing the retreating Mad Dragon Gang. However, less than three hours after entering the Coffin of Death, they lost sight of the Mad Dragon Gang. Worse, they became trapped in a bizarre Illusion Magic Array. While they were fully occupied breaking the illusion, they were attacked by the Dragon-Touching God—the whole process was utterly baffling.
In fact, during the initial pursuit of the Mad Dragon Gang, Yan Luo had suggested not pushing too deep, as this was the Dragon-Touching God’s territory. Disturbing it accidentally would be a huge loss. Moreover, the Ranger Handbook indicated that the Dragon-Touching God only operated in the deepest southeastern parts of the Coffin of Death, so the area near the exit should have been relatively safe—a full day’s journey away.
Who would have thought that after only three hours of pursuit, they would be caught in a magic illusion array? And even more unexpectedly, that terrifying Evil Centipede would appear right before them, as if guided by fate. The tragedy followed immediately. Yan Luo and the others understood instantly that this was a trap set by the Mad Dragon Gang and quickly organized a breakout. But just then, the Mad Dragon Gang, which had vanished, reappeared on their retreat path, blocking their escape route with fierce resistance.
Due to the specialized terrain, the Divine Moon Palace and the Great Alliance could not utilize their numerical superiority. Furthermore, having already lost over forty Red Moon experts right at the first encounter with the Dragon-Touching God, the Alliance and Divine Moon Palace forces, lacking their elite fighters, were completely helpless against the Mad Dragon Gang's interception. They had no choice but to fight their way out desperately, resulting in many Alliance and Divine Moon Palace members falling to the Mad Dragon Gang. Jin Bo was one of the lucky few who managed to break out, only to be targeted by those four lecherous brutes.
As for what happened next, Jin Bo didn't know. But I suspected the Divine Moon Palace and the Great Alliance had suffered crippling losses this time. And even the few who escaped might not survive, as the only exit to the outside world was heavily guarded by the Mad Dragon Gang. Meanwhile, inside the Coffin of Death, Chi Jiao’s group was hunting down the survivors.
This was truly a case of 'locking the door to beat the dog,' with nowhere left to run.