War knows no scruples

After a period of relentless training, I have now mastered the Holy Light Bullets to the extent that I can accelerate and redirect them at will, no longer restricted to their previous straight-line trajectory. Struck by five or six bursts of Holy Light Bullets, the two Night Women let out piercing cries as their bodies became transparent, only to explode into a froth of bubbles. In one fell swoop, I eliminated six or seven of my comrades, causing the remaining Night Women to scream in terror and swiftly veer away from my vicinity.

The ten or so Holy Light Bullets that returned to my side were caressed by my hand, and their previously dim glow was rekindled with radiant light. Infused with three times the amount of Platinum Glory, these bullets swelled from the size of a fist to that of a soccer ball. I turned my gaze towards the battle involving Wolf King and Jack, intending to offer my assistance, but before I could, Hachi Ikki and Lilith made their move.

With a commanding shout of "Swift!" Hachi Ikki unleashed his long sword, Ancient Moon, cleaving the wings of one Night Woman from the sky. Although his new sword did not possess enhanced jumping or speed abilities, its capacity to fly through the air and strike down targets made it a remarkably effective weapon. While this level three treasure paled in comparison to the legendary flying swords from the Chinese mainland, capable of traversing the heavens like a rainbow, its attack range surpassed that of any weapon among us.

Having absorbed the Soul Beast, Lilith extended her arms, forming a sphere of electric energy between her delicate hands. Despite the slow accumulation of her lightning magic, its potential for destruction was undeniable. As I observed the duo successfully downing five Night Women in quick succession, I calculated that, along with those taken out by Jack, Wolf King, and Melinda, I would no longer have the opportunity to fulfill my own quota. The remaining Night Women were insufficient for my share, prompting me to hold back, securing our formation instead. On Demon Island, one could encounter all manner of creatures; a single misstep could lead to unforeseen incursions that would jeopardize the entire team.

Consequently, while I directed some of my attention towards the Night Women, the majority of my focus shifted to the night sky. If Hachi Ikki's sixth sense was correct, then Snooker and Bullet were likely following closely behind us. Though I feigned indifference, I was deeply apprehensive about those two. Hidden enemies are always the most perilous.

As two Night Women inadvertently drifted towards me, only to be purified by my Holy Light Bullets, the remaining Night Women finally recognized that we were not suitable prey. With anguished screams, they ascended gracefully into the sky, vanishing into the night.

Wolf King cast aside his battle axe, exclaiming, "Damn those Night Women! Why can they only be harmed by spiritual power? If I could use firearms, I would have wiped them all out by now!" 

I could only shake my head in resignation and replied lightly, "A single Silver-Refined Demon-Breaking Bullet costs ten thousand Demon Coins, and that heavy machine gun you favor would probably run into several million in a single night. It's simply too extravagant."

Wolf King grinned menacingly at me, declaring, "One day, I will exterminate every last one of these Night Women on this island!" 

Melinda sheathed her Khukuri, appearing quite fatigued. Both she and Wolf King were using conventional weapons, needing to channel ample spiritual energy to inflict harm on the Night Women, whereas Jack's short surgical knife, made from an unknown material, made dispatching the Night Women seem effortless, often severing their necks with a single cut.

Romia, contributing little in battle, gave the impression of not being a mere ornament, but rather of choosing to abstain from combat. I had little interest in the powers of others; my objective was to gather enough strength to return to the real world, not to engage in intrigue with these mysteriously powerful individuals.

"Let's take a break. Hachi Ikki and I will take the first watch; Wolf King and Jack can cover the second half of the night." Upon hearing this, Melinda produced her spatial card, unfurling an inflatable mattress, and began to inflate it.

For the past few days, the four of us had taken turns keeping watch. The three women need not partake in such laborious tasks, but Melinda understood that this was due to her lack of trustworthiness, and thus never voluntarily sought to share the burden.

Lilith had just dispatched six Night Women. While she was becoming increasingly proficient with her lightning magic, she still lacked the capacity for solo combat. Observing Hachi Ikki and myself guarding two separate directions, she approached and sat beside me. Breathing in the unique feminine scent emanating from her, my spirits lifted, and I gently stroked her smooth thigh, whispering, "Are you feeling a bit scared?" Lilith nodded, her eyes reflecting greater fear than before.

During our initial selection process for this mission, I had witnessed Snooker's terrifying power firsthand. A formidable assassin had managed to wound him severely, but in the end, he succumbed to Snooker's might. Despite his grievous injuries, Snooker appeared unaffected the very next day, leaving a profound impression on me. Humans are powerless against immortal creatures.

I shook my head, saying, "Buddha teaches that life is impermanent, and philosophy posits that eternity does not exist. Much like these Night Women, without specialized methods, one cannot hope to slay them. Snooker, too, can be defeated; we merely have yet to discover the right approach!"

With my words of comfort, Lilith seemed to find some solace. 

The heavy sound of footsteps approached; Wolf King, for some unknown reason, had not gone to rest but instead joined me on my side, mirroring Lilith. 

Noticing my impassive expression, Wolf King forwent his usual grin and urgently asked, "Do you have any confidence in injuring Snooker again? Tomorrow we face the Cave Demon Hounds, and this battle will be exceedingly perilous. Even if we complete the mission, we will likely lose sixty to seventy percent of our fighting strength."

"Thus, I must eliminate that bastard tonight!" 

I was taken aback and quietly replied, "Do you have a plan to draw out that scoundrel? Given his cunning nature, conventional strategies may prove ineffective!" 

Wolf King let out a low grunt before saying, "As a professional soldier, I must say, Wang Lin, your understanding of warfare is sorely lacking. Do you truly have the means to deal with him?" 

After a moment of contemplation, I nodded affirmatively, stating, "If Snooker's strength is comparable to last time, I am confident that I have a sixty to seventy percent chance of defeating him again; however, whether I can kill him remains uncertain." 

Wolf King grinned savagely, replying, "That will suffice!"