After Dai Li’s explanation, everyone smiled, while Mo Han scratched his head sheepishly. “Wife, you don’t need to badmouth me like that. You’re damaging my reputation, and that does you no good either. If people start gossiping, won’t you, as my wife, suffer the fallout too? Heh heh.”

Dai Li chuckled upon hearing this. “I’m merely stating facts. Am I not telling the truth?” Mo Han found himself momentarily speechless, forced to change the subject. “Forget it, a true gentleman doesn't argue with a lady. Jack, you mentioned earlier that this thing is a life-saving item for mages, right? Then I’ll give this bead to you.”

Hearing Mo Han’s words, Jack’s face lit up with surprise. “Boss, are you serious? You’re really giving it to me?”

Mo Han nodded. “Nonsense. When has your Boss ever gone back on his word? Take it. You’re the only mage in our party. If I don’t give it to you, should I give it to Yan Shi?”

Jack quickly reached out and accepted the bead, carefully tucking it into his chest pocket. “Well, it certainly is better suited for me. Thank you, Boss. You’re always the best to me, Boss, you’re truly a good person.”

Mo Han felt goosebumps erupt across his skin. “Go, go! Enough with that flattery. You’re not a woman. Don't feed me that stuff; it makes me want to throw up the dinner I had last night. Scram over there.”

Hearing Mo Han’s response, everyone else smiled, but Jack didn't mind at all. Having just obtained a magical bead meant for saving his life, he was too ecstatic to care about a little teasing.

Mo Han, meanwhile, was pondering Jack’s earlier suggestion. Indeed, if he could improve his own magic casting speed, wouldn't his overall strength take a significant leap?

As Mo Han remained lost in thought, Jack spoke up. “Heh heh, Boss, should we keep moving forward then?” Mo Han nodded. “Of course. We haven’t even encountered that Scarlet Blood Centipede yet, so how can we complete the mission? Naturally, we need to keep searching. We still have a full day’s travel to the Restricted Zone, so let’s explore a bit more.”

Hearing Mo Han’s proposal, everyone agreed readily. They quickly reorganized their gear and set off.

After a full day of searching, the party finally encountered their target the next morning: the Scarlet Blood Centipede. The creature was easily over ten meters long and nearly a meter thick. No wonder it was classified as an 8th-level Magic Beast; its sheer appearance alone was enough to terrify anyone.

Furthermore, its two blood-red eyes sent a chill down the spine just by looking at them. Upon seeing Mo Han and the others trespass into its territory, the Scarlet Blood Centipede instantly fixed them with a wary stare before violently swinging its numerous limbs and legs in a sudden charge toward the party.

Seeing this, Mo Han quickly commanded, “Yan Shi, La Ding, Dai Li, surround it from three different directions. Don't attack head-on. Its body is too long; focus on striking its rear segments. Jack, use Fireball to attack its eyes. Everyone else stay back and maintain vigilance.”

Responding to Mo Han’s orders, everyone executed their assigned roles and launched their attacks.

Dai Li and La Ding maneuvered behind the Scarlet Blood Centipede, while Yan Shi positioned himself on the flank to draw its attention. Noticing Dai Li and the others creeping up behind it, the centipede executed a sudden, sharp 30-degree pivot. Its speed was shockingly fast, completely incongruous with its massive size. Its body curled into a U-shape, and its gaping maw suddenly spewed a jet of venom directly toward Dai Li, who was positioned on its left flank. Dai Li gasped in alarm and quickly twisted to evade, barely dodging the poison. The venom struck the trees behind her, instantly billowing thick black smoke as the affected foliage rapidly withered and died.

Witnessing this effect, Mo Han was startled. “Be careful of its venom!”

Just then, La Ding’s attack arrived. His Knight Sword, imbued with a surge of Battle Qi, sliced toward the centipede’s opposite tail end, aiming to sever it.

The Scarlet Blood Centipede reacted swiftly, thrusting a rear leg out to intercept La Ding’s weapon. The Knight Sword struck the leg, producing a loud clang of metal on metal. It was astonishing that the creature’s legs possessed such fortitude. Although the centipede managed to block the blow, its leg was not as durable as the Silver Armored Lizard’s hide. While it deflected the sword, La Ding’s blade sliced the leg clean in two, causing a spray of thick blood. In excruciating pain, the centipede let out a furious roar and flailed its remaining limbs violently at La Ding, clearly intent on crushing him instantly. However, La Ding had already used the momentum of his successful strike to sidestep away, causing the centipede’s frenzied assault to miss completely.

By this point, Jack’s spell was ready. Since the centipede’s back was facing them, a Fireball was impractical for targeting its eyes, so he opted instead for the more potent Fire Dragon technique.

Sensing the magical assault coming from its rear, the Scarlet Blood Centipede hurriedly spat a stream of venom directly at the incoming Fire Dragon, which surprisingly managed to counteract the spell’s power. The venom itself was instantly vaporized by the Fire Dragon’s intense energy.

Eight-level Magic Beasts truly are formidable, Mo Han reflected inwardly.

Meanwhile, Dai Li, La Ding, and Yan Shi had closed in, engaging the centipede in hit-and-run skirmishes. But the creature possessed far too many legs—dozens of them. Even when La Ding severed one, countless others remained, and each leg appeared capable of independent movement, serving as its own weapon. La Ding and the others found themselves unable to land decisive blows.

Seeing this impasse, Jack unleashed his magic to harass the beast intermittently, preventing it from focusing entirely on Dai Li’s group. This tactic proved effective. The centipede seemed genuinely wary of fire magic. Every time Jack’s spell attacked, it was forced to turn and expel venom in a full-power defense, momentarily losing its nimble control over its many legs. Dai Li and the others seized the opportunity, hacking off two more legs.

Screaming in pain, its eyes flashed with murderous intent. Ignoring the attacks from Dai Li’s group, it violently thrashed its body and charged toward the position where Mo Han and Jack stood, its speed astonishingly high as it closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

Dai Li and the others yelled out urgently, “Be careful!”

They followed immediately behind, hacking at the Scarlet Blood Centipede’s unprotected back.

—————Jump to