Chapter 703: Blade

Inside the church.

Sitting on the adjudicator's corpse, Zhang Tie sucked his fingers, looking puzzled at Lin An:

"Lin Dui, are we just going to keep waiting?"

"Why not kill a Triangle Head?"

"I now have 7 points; can I promote to three Fourth Rank?"

With his back to Zhang Tie, Lin An stood before the cross, shaking his head slightly without turning around:

"After a while, you'll have plenty to kill."

"In theory, you can now apply to withdraw from the trial and promote to three Fourth Rank."

"But the effect won't be good."

Casually explaining, Lin An felt around the cross in front of him.

On a cross as tall as a person, a human silhouette was imprinted.

That is the trace of corpse oil seeping out after a human was burned to death.

"The essence of the trial is to arrange high-difficulty monsters for you, forcing you to unlock the gene seal and promote to three Fourth Rank."

"So far, we haven't been forced into desperation."

"Except for that one time you opened it with a key inside the amoeba worm, but essentially it wasn't you who opened it."

"Going out now to level up, put simply, is the system forcibly boosting you."

"Although with your current stats you won't suffer gene collapse anyway, the effect definitely won't be as good as opening it yourself."

Xiong Hanzi sucked his fingers clean, then scratched his head:

"Is it because we're too strong, so we only wait for the difficulty to rise?"

"Lin Dui, do you mean the monsters ahead will keep getting stronger?"

"What about your mission then? Aren't you supposed to go down to the next layer?"

Lin An turned around and nodded:

"Pretty much."

"Let's talk about the earlier issue first."

"Only adjudicators have appeared so far."

"If nothing unexpected happens, new monsters will appear soon."

"Awakened Ones can still dodge monsters for now, but the system definitely won't let them keep avoiding forever."

After a brief pause, Lin An looked at the wavering black shadow on the church glass.

A monster is approaching...

He paid no attention, continuing:

"Put simply, the system has given us two traps for this trial's difficulty increase."

"One is to lure the survivors into fighting each other, spawning new monsters."

"The other is, after numbers dwindle, to force the remaining survivors to make a choice."

"Whether to accumulate enough points to leave and promote, or to have the courage to stay and fight stronger monsters, forcing oneself to promote to three Fourth Rank."

"Fewer people, but stronger monsters."

"Staying behind requires great courage."

He let out a light laugh.

"That's why I suspect that exploring the layers of Silent Hill doesn't require us to seek them out."

"As time passes, it will gradually pull us into the inner world."

Zhang Tie nodded thoughtfully, watching the black shadow outside the window grow larger, then strode over.

"Then, Lin Dui."

"Is it just a matter of waiting longer to actually accumulate enough points?"

"I remember the third rule: as the layer increases, points increase as well."

"Actually, the optimal solution is for everyone to join forces to slay the Triangle Head, then wait for the layer to increase and take turns squeezing out one's potential."

"Whoa!"

A huge blade pierced the glass, revealing the giant monster outside.

Shattered colored glass scattered.

Xiong Hanzi, expressionless, after speaking instantly reached out with both hands, then fiercely grabbed the giant axe and hauled the monster inside in one motion.

"What the hell, didn't you see I was chatting with Lin Dui?"

He muttered curses.

The adjudicator dragged into the church was like a little girl being pulled into an alley by a burly man.

The next second, a pair of giant hands, transformed into bear form, violently slammed toward the Triangle Head's skull.

"Bang!!"

Metal deformed.

Satisfied with the result of his strike, Xiong Hanzi habitually stepped on the adjudicator's shoulder with one foot, then grabbed the monster's head with both hands and yanked hard.

"Rip"

Yellowish-brown liquid spurted out; the adjudicator, whose head had been torn off while still alive, twitched twice and then fell still.

"This damn thing is tough to kill..."

He curled his lip.

Since Lin Dui said to wait, he naturally would stay put obediently.

Watching the monster being dealt with, Lin An seemed to think of something and suddenly asked the one holding the giant axe, Xiong Hanzi:

"Did you kill any Awakened Ones on the way?"

"One monster gives two points; Zhang Tie had seven points before meeting up, which shows he killed at least one Awakened Ones."

"After swinging the giant axe, Zhang Tie blinked slightly, their honest nature making them shake their head."

"Yeah."

"On the road I ran into a little brat who tried to ambush me."

"Then I slapped him to death."

"Lin Dui, that ring belongs to that kid."

"Any questions..."

"While speaking, Zhang Tie blinked."

"Zhang Tie suddenly realized the problem."

"Damn it, Lin Dui."

"I also killed an Awakened Ones, so will I also encounter a new monster?!"

"Zhang Tie felt somewhat uneasy."

"After hearing that, Lin An's eyes narrowed, then he comfortingly patted Zhang Tie's shoulder, indicating that Zhang Tie shouldn't worry too much."

"Lin An gazed thoughtfully."

"Silent Ridge... the evil thoughts in his heart..."

"To be honest, he also doesn't know what situation will be triggered after killing his own kind."

"All the information is based on his own speculation."

"After a moment, Lin An suddenly asked Zhang Tie:"

"You..."

"What are you most afraid of?"

"Most afraid..."

"Standing in place, Xiong Hanzi instinctively wanted to answer, when a figure flashed across their mind."

"Pfft!"

"The fierce sound of a crossbow bolt shattered the night's tranquility."

"When most Survivors were hiding, a finger-thick crossbow bolt instantly pierced an Awakened Ones trying to flee into a house."

"Idiot!"

"The Awakened One let out a sinister laugh."

"The Awakened One hidden in the bell tower jeered at the corpse with its head blown apart."

"The Awakened One gripped the giant crossbow bolt, feeling somewhat pleased."

"The Awakened One gained another point."

"Just one more person, and the Awakened One would have enough points to promote to Third Rank."

"The Awakened One never imagined that the weapon-enchanting talent, considered the worst in the power system, would actually be a Spirit Skill in this trial."

"Adding the strength attribute to ranged weapons, but only a 30% increase."

"In the real world, the Awakened One was often mocked, considered the weakest peak of Second Level."

"But who would have thought that, after everyone else's attributes were weakened, this 30% strength boost would allow the Awakened One to shoot down these Awakened Ones one arrow at a time."

"Maybe I am the biggest winner in this trial!"

"The Awakened One's heart pounded."

"Looking at the corpse crawling on the ground, the Awakened One hesitated a bit."

"This Awakened One also didn't know which squad they had gotten separated from."

"During the alarm, they were still panicking and trying to find a house to hide in."

"That full set of Equipment is really tempting."

"But there was an Arbiter wandering nearby..."

"Looking at the Awakened One's newly equipped Equipment, they hardened their heart."

"Seek wealth through danger!"

"This trial is the Awakened One's greatest opportunity!"

"With a quick dodge, carefully jumping down from the bell tower, they trembled with tension all over."

"Never let the Arbiter spot you!"

"Bullying Awakened Ones is fine, but against a monster, a hundred of them would still die."

"Their pace quickened."

"When they rushed at top speed to the corpse lying before the door, their pupils suddenly contracted."

"Where is the corpse?"

"Only a puddle of red-and-white filth remained on the ground, with no trace of the corpse."

"The next second, just as they felt a strong unease,"

"A continuous Humming Sound suddenly rang out, intermittent."

"That was..."

"The sound of flesh being cut!?"

"Glug."

"Saliva swallowed."

He clutched the giant crossbow, turned his head sharply in terror, and looked toward where the sound came from.

What... is behind me!?

"Ahhhhh!!!"

The sharp scream was cut off.

All I saw was a naked female corpse, yellowed as if soaked in formalin, standing behind him.

The cutting sound came from a high-speed rotating blade disc.

In the female corpse's eye sockets, a horizontally rotating blade continually scraped her skull; at the center of her forehead, a vertically oriented blade twisted and drew out her brain tissue.

Blood spattered.

The Awakened One holding the giant crossbow was gripped hard by the female corpse on his shoulders, slammed together tightly.

Face to face, eye to eye.