Chapter 85: Team Wipe

The evil Roach Demon was overwhelmingly powerful, obliterating the team's tank with a single blow.

Wang Le's smile froze, no longer joyful. The scene before him cast a deep shadow over his heart as the surrounding trees blurred past.

"Too terrifying. How could such an evil creature exist?"

"Seventh level or eighth?"

Although his escape was somewhat undignified, survival was paramount.

He regretted coming here. He wished he'd told his teammates, "My stomach hurts, I need to take a dump. You guys go ahead and check it out." If he had, he definitely wouldn't be in this predicament.

A chill ran down his spine, a signal of danger.

He wanted to look back, but saw his teammate mouthing words to him. Perhaps the wind from their high-speed escape was too loud to hear, but the mouth movements seemed to be saying…

Danger!

Was it referring to him?

Puchi!

The sound of flesh being pierced. Something had impaled his body.

He gradually slowed down, looking down at his chest. A bloody hole gaped there. He felt empty, as if something was missing. Looking up, he saw the Roach Demon holding his heart in its hand. His heart.

The Roach Demon's expression remained blank, still with that innocently dumb look.

With a slight squeeze, the heart exploded.

Wang Le crashed to the ground with a thud, his gaze fading as he looked at the retreating figures of his teammates, his lips moving silently.

"Live!"

The experts from the Buddhist and Maoshan academies were dead.

They weren't even a match for a single blow. The difference in power was immense.

The only two remaining were the experts from the Taoist and Medical academies. It wasn't that they were faster, but that the Roach Demon paused momentarily after each kill before resuming its pursuit.

Xu Duocai, the expert from the Taoist academy, was fifty-five years old this year, with sixth-level strength and decent talent.

He was a humorous, middle-aged man.

And a happy one.

He had both a son and a daughter, and even grandchildren.

His only regret was that his wife died of complications while giving birth to their son.

"Little girl, if you survive, tell my son and daughter that I love them very much. And tell my grandson to study hard."

Xu Duocai prepared to fight the evil creature, hoping to buy some time for his teammate. Hopefully, it would be enough.

Zhou Xiaoxiao was stunned. "Brother Xu, what are you doing?"

Xu Duocai smiled. "I'm content. I've lived a good portion of my life, experienced everything I needed to. I have no regrets. I do miss my wife, who passed away thirty years ago. She's been visiting me in my dreams lately, asking me to see her. I think it's time."

"You're still young. Judging by the way you walk, you're still a virgin, right? If you survive, you must have seven or eight kids."

"Haha."

Xu Duocai laughed loudly. Mid-sprint, he abruptly turned, wielding his Taoist longsword, facing the Roach Demon. Seeing the creature's hulking form, he felt a flicker of fear, but he hoped he could at least delay it for a while.

He tapped the ground lightly with his feet, leaping backward as he cast a spell.

"One step, thunder stirs. Two steps, earth and water flow. Three steps, thunder and fire ignite… With me, banish evil! Make haste!"

"Five Thunders power curse!"

Lightning crackled, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth, converging on his longsword. He slashed at the Roach Demon.

He was using a spell from the Three Divine Scriptures of the Supreme Lord, Volume Seven, a powerful Taoist incantation from the Spells of the Thunder Department.

Xu Duocai's sword pierced the Roach Demon's body, lightning coursing through it. A bright smile spread across his face. He thought, This monster just looks tough.

It's actually weak.

But reality was cruel.

The Roach Demon punched Xu Duocai in the chest. A dull thud echoed as the force of the blow ripped through him, creating a bloody hole in his back. Blood mist filled the air.

"Brother Xu…"

Zhou Xiaoxiao cried out.

"Go," Xu Duocai roared, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at the creature. What kind of monster is this? Even the Five Thunders power curse can't destroy it. It's too terrifying.

He was now holding on purely through willpower.

Zhou Xiaoxiao, tears streaming down her face, fled.

The Roach Demon lifted Xu Duocai high, then pulled out the longsword. It tilted its head, examining the sword before casually tossing it aside. Looking at the barely living human, a human-like smile crept across its lips.

Xu Duocai coughed up blood, whispering weakly, "Why are you so ugly?"

The Roach Demon spread its five fingers, gripping Xu Duocai's head. With a gentle squeeze, it crushed his skull.

…

Zhou Xiaoxiao ran as fast as she could. She wouldn't let Brother Xu's death be in vain.

The thought of her teammates dying before her eyes brought fresh tears. She wasn't afraid of the monster itself, but grieved for her fallen comrades.

Looking back…

She didn't see the Roach Demon.

Had she escaped?

Even so, she continued running without hesitation.

She had read a book, What Should Have Been a Disaster. For example:

I should have escaped, but ultimately, I didn't.

Suddenly…

She slowed down, despair filling her eyes as she looked ahead.

"How…"

The Roach Demon stood there, waiting for her.

It had been behind her.

How could it be in front of her so quickly?

She lacked the courage to fight, her mind blank. She didn't know what to do.

The Roach Demon tilted its head, its dumb-looking eyes fixed on Zhou Xiaoxiao, giving off a foolish impression.

Zhou Xiaoxiao's legs trembled, fear consuming her. She wanted to fight back, but how? None of them were a match for it. Could she do it alone?

A graduate of the Medical academy, her combat abilities were average at best.

Whoosh!

The Roach Demon appeared before her instantly. Though she was tall, she was still much shorter than the creature.

Zhou Xiaoxiao's breathing became rapid, gasping for air. With a roar, she punched the Roach Demon. It was as hard as steel.

The Roach Demon lowered its head, a hint of confusion in its dumb-looking eyes.

"I…"

She didn't know what to say, her words stuttering. Her throat felt constricted. She had things to say, but didn't know where to begin.

Whoosh!

Teleportation?

The Roach Demon appeared behind her.

Zhou Xiaoxiao's neck twisted into a grotesque spiral, her eyes wide. Death came in an instant, her brain registering no pain.

The Roach Demon looked towards the distance, in the direction of Yanhai City.

"KO!"

"Wow, you're so strong!"

Qian Xiaobao was struggling. He regretted coming to the arcade. Losing didn't feel good.

As a qualified and mature heir to a fortune…

He knew how to stay safe.

"Not bad," Lin Fan said.

Lao Zhang couldn't wait. "Lin Fan, let me play!"

Qian Xiaobao glanced at Lao Zhang. I lost to him on purpose. As for you, I'll teach you a lesson with my most brutal skills.

Lin Fan stood behind them, feeling great. He felt he had a talent for gaming. Xiaobao said he was amazing, so powerful. Maybe he really was strong.

Soon…

Lao Zhang's expectant smile vanished, replaced by a near-tearful expression.

He was defeated without even landing a hit.

The arcade owner stood obsequiously nearby, grinning. Every time Qian Xiaobao pulled off a skillful move, he would exclaim,

"Amazing!"

"What a stunt!"

"I've lived for decades and never seen such incredible combos!"

Silence may be golden, but flattery definitely pays off.

At least he felt safe being near the wealthy young man.

Money makes me happy.

The bodyguards looked at their collectible comics, then back at their young master. The arcade owner's behavior was easy to understand.

It wasn't unusual.

Living with ambition is a blessing.

Even if you look pathetic while flattering, you look dashing when you're rolling in dough.