The Crimson Spider King

Seeing the dense spider webs ahead, I knew our tank would never make it through. With a resigned sigh, I tapped the tank, reclaiming it back into its card, leaving the white man to drop onto the ground. I offered him a friendly warning, "This tank is mine. I don't intend to leave it for you. If you want to stay, be my guest." 

The ancient blade, Gu Yue, leapt into my palm with a swift incantation, slicing through a cluster of spider silk with a single move. I took the lead, paving the way. Wolf King and Baijing Zhenfu showcased their own fierce combat skills, quickly dispatching a few charging giant spiders.

The white man cursed under his breath but grudgingly followed behind us. We had crossed three-quarters of this forest. Once beyond its borders, the road to the camp would be unobstructed. With the combat power of our group, we would surely make it through this final stretch.

"Damn it! Just how many spider nests did that bald instructor lure out? This isn't just thousands — there must be tens of thousands!" Wolf King shouted in shock, turning to us in disbelief.

Facing the countless giant spiders gathering outside the forest, Baijing Zhenfu tried to keep up our spirits. "We're close enough to use the Thunderstorm Tank; once we're back in it, we'll break through and make it safely to camp." 

Though we'd lost quite a few people in the forest, forty to fifty students had managed to escape. Many smaller teams set aside their rivalries and gathered together to fight against the overwhelming spider tide. But these ferocious creatures, like fearless, bloodthirsty warriors, surged at us relentlessly. Every team advanced inch by inch, struggling against the thick spider webs that thwarted our tank's path.

Suddenly, the white man shouted, "Look! Over there — a red spider!" His yell caught our attention, and we followed his gaze to spot a massive, crimson spider with intricate markings across its body. This new giant spider was faster, larger, and impervious to most bullets, moving with a ghostly agility that defied its heavy shell and formidable health.

A seven- or eight-member team that had stood firm amid the spider swarm now found their defenses shattered as the crimson spider broke through their ranks. In an instant, hundreds of giant spiders descended upon them, and the air filled with chilling screams. Every hair on my body stood on end.

Wolf King gripped his machine gun, mowing down a swath of giant spiders charging at us. He shouted over the gunfire, "We're out of options! Deploy the Thunderstorm Tank — we'll break through along the edge." I released the tank again, and as everyone scrambled aboard, the crimson spider darted toward us, its eight legs moving faster than the tank itself.

"Holy Light Bullets!" Thanks to my sharpshooter skill, I hit the crimson spider dead-on. The purifying force of the Holy Light seared into its body, scorching a vast area with far more damage than standard bullets.

The wounded crimson spider let out a furious roar, summoning dozens of nearby spiders to charge at us in an obedient swarm. 

"Damn, this crimson beast must be their king! Baijing Zhenfu, as the descendant of an exorcist clan, don't you have any tricks for dealing with this?" Despite his valor, Wolf King couldn't hide his fear, pleading for help as he recalled the students who had been devoured.

Baijing Zhenfu looked down, his face flushed with shame, and muttered, "My skills are limited. If it were a ghost, I'd have a chance, but with monsters like this, I'm out of options."

"Hell, if you want to eat me, I'll tear you apart first!" They say that when pushed to the limit, people discover endless reserves of strength. Of all of us, I had the least combat experience — and the most fear. Without thinking, I activated a quick spell, summoning a berserk pill to my palm and swallowing it in one gulp. My vision turned blood-red, and the spiders before me transformed into nothing more than targets for slaughter. Two oversized pistols appeared in my hands — the Holy Cross Guns Julier had acquired for me.

With a swift squeeze of the trigger, I unleashed rounds of silver anti-demon bullets, nearly matching the power of the Holy Light bullets, and with my sharpshooter card, my aim was flawless. In an instant, the crimson spider took over a dozen silver anti-demon bullets and howled in agony.

"Damn, those silver bullets cost ten thousand demon coins apiece, and I've only got a hundred rounds!" I muttered as the crimson spider rushed toward the tank. Switching weapons with a quick spell, I swapped the guns for Gu Yue's long blade. Leaping into the air, I unleashed a devastating strike, filling the space with a wild gust as my energy exploded from the blade, splitting the crimson spider in two.

But as I landed, I found myself surrounded by dozens of giant spiders following their fallen king. Wolf King spun the tank's turret, aiming it back in my direction. Though my teammates did their best to fend off the horde, it was clear that they could no longer protect me.