Chapter 103: Perhaps There Will Be an Unexpected Gain?

【'Earth Shield Technique' looked at the perfect artwork before it, its heart filled with immense satisfaction.】

【It proudly puffed out its chest: Master, Big Brother, Third Brother, did you see? This is Second Brother's micro-management!】

Lin Mo ignored 'Earth Shield Technique's' attempt to claim credit.

He stepped forward, walking toward the four of them.

The captain wearing the nose ring had long lost the vigor he possessed just moments ago.

Rock spikes pierced through his thigh and shoulder; the excruciating pain made his whole body convulse.

But compared to the physical agony, the terror of facing death was what truly made him collapse.

Especially when he met Lin Mo's eyes, a breath of death shot straight to the crown of his head.

"Mis... misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"

The nose-ring captain endured the excruciating pain, his voice trembling:

"Lin... Lin Shao! We were forced! It was Zhao Tianling! It was that bastard Zhao Tianling who forced us here!"

"We didn't want to oppose you either!"

"Please, just let us go like a fart!"

Lin Mo said nothing, simply walking toward them slowly.

Seeing that begging for mercy was useless, the nose-ring captain screamed hysterically:

"Lin Mo! You can't kill us! We are elites of the Mad Shark Guild! If we die, Guild Leader Zhao won't let you off!"

"And... and killing people is illegal! Even though you are a student of Long Xu Ban, you cannot kill indiscriminately!"

"Kill indiscriminately?"

Lin Mo chuckled softly and finally spoke.

He walked to the stone pillar, reaching out to grasp the rock spike piercing the nose-ring captain's shoulder.

"Wearing resistance gear targeted at us, using forbidden infiltration scrolls, coming into the Team Fuben to ambush me... you call that innocent?"

"Are you trying to make me laugh?"

Before the words had fully faded.

Lin Mo exerted force in his arm and yanked violently.

"Aaaaaah—!!!"

The nose-ring captain was ripped straight off the rock spike.

A piercing scream echoed throughout the entire temple.

Lin Mo casually flicked his wrist, tossing him to the ground like a dead dog, then walked toward the next person.

On the other side, Han Mengyao moved as well.

Her face was as cold as frost; the silver spear in her hand had already been sheathed.

Facing such villains, she felt no pity whatsoever.

She walked to the other two stone pillars, acting with crisp efficiency; grabbing one with each hand, she pulled the remaining two assassins off the pillars.

Even as blood splattered onto her face, she didn't even blink.

"Let's go, send them on their way."

Lin Mo said calmly.

He bent down, grabbing the nose-ring captain's collar with one hand and the skinny tall man's ankle with the other, dragging the two toward the magma pool in the center of the altar.

Han Mengyao dragged the other two, following behind.

The four assassins were dragged across the gravel ground, leaving a trail of shocking bloodstains behind them.

"Let go of me! Let go of me! I don't want to die!"

"Lin Mo, Lin Mo, may you die a bad death!"

"Help! Help!"

Pleas for mercy, curses, and cries of despair intertwined.

Listening to these sounds, Lin Mo's heart remained strangely calm.

This was actually his first time killing in the true sense.

As a transmigrator, deep within his soul he still retained the values of the peaceful era from his previous life.

Killing, to him, was an extremely heavy word.

But this world is different.

This world eats people.

This is a high-martial world where great power resides within oneself, a chaotic age where demons run rampant.

If the one lying here today were himself, would this group have shown mercy?

No.

They would have cut off his head without hesitation, and might even have stepped on it twice.

Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward oneself.

Lin Mo had only read this sentence in books before.

And now, he was putting it into practice.

To survive in this world, one must learn this lesson.

"Hah..."

Lin Mo let out a breath, his eyes gradually turning cold.

"Tsk tsk tsk, what a pity..."

Not far away, Han Mengqing had somehow produced a bag of melon seeds.

"But they deserved it; who told them to try to kill this Young Lady?"

"This Young Lady is so cute, yet they could bring themselves to do it; they are utterly devoid of conscience!"

Though she spoke of tragedy, there was no sympathy in her eyes; she looked entirely like someone who enjoyed the spectacle and hoped for more chaos.

For her, the distinction between right and wrong was very simple.

Those who were good to her were good people.

Those who wanted to harm her were villains.

When villains die, it is a happy event, worth celebrating with firecrackers.

Chu Lingxuan, standing nearby, appeared somewhat uneasy.

Watching the four being dragged toward the abyss of death and hearing their desperate screams, her body trembled slightly.

As a knight determined to protect the weak, her heart instinctively recoiled from killing.

But...

She did not speak out to stop them, nor did she plead for mercy.

Because she knew these people were evildoers.

If classmate Lin Mo were not strong enough, or if everyone were not vigilant enough, the ones thrown into the magma pool right now might have been them.

In the end, Chu Lingxuan could not bear it and turned her back, unwilling to watch that cruel scene.

What she could do

was to stand firmly behind her teammates, no matter what decisions they made.

Finally.

Lin Mo and Han Mengyao, dragging the four, arrived at the edge of the magma pool in the center of the altar.

Waves of scorching heat rushed toward them.

The magma in the pool churned, occasionally exploding into huge bubbles that splashed up crimson liquid.

"No! Don't! I was wrong! I was truly wrong!"

"Young Master Lin! Grandfather Lin! Spare my life!"

"I am the only son in my family! I have elders above and children below!"

The nose-ring captain, tears and snot streaming down his face, clung desperately to the cracks in the ground with both hands.

Even though his fingernails snapped and blood flowed freely, he refused to let go.

Lin Mo glanced at him and said coldly:

"You don't know you were wrong; you only know you are about to die."

"No—!!! Lin Mo! May you die a wretched death! Even as a ghost I will..."

The nose-ring captain uttered his final curse.

Lin Mo said no more.

"Go down."

Boom!

He kicked him straight into the magma pool.

At the same time, he forcefully flung the lanky man in his other hand away.

On the other side, Han Mengyao, expressionless, threw the two people in her hands down as well.

"Aaaaaah—"

The screams cut off abruptly.

Accompanied by several dull thuds, the four fell into the magma.

A few wisps of green smoke rose as their bodies were instantly vaporized by the high temperature.

In the blink of an eye, the magma pool returned to calm, still churning, as if nothing had happened.

Lin Mo stood by the pool, quietly watching the churning magma.

"How does it feel?"

Han Mengyao walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

"It's fine."

Lin Mo withdrew his gaze, brushed the dust off his hands, and said, "Perhaps... I am naturally a scoundrel?"

Han Mengyao turned to look at him, a curve forming at the corner of her lips. "Being a scoundrel is better than being a corpse."

Just then.

The system notification on everyone's panel changed.

【Sacrifice Successful!】

【Current Sacrifice Count: 4/3】

【Current Rating: S-Rank! (Drop rate for Thunder-Fire Combination Technique materials increased to 100%!)】

"4/3..."

Lin Mo stared at that number, his brows furrowing slightly.

Han Mengyao keenly noticed Lin Mo's oddity. "What's wrong, Lin Mo? Is something amiss?"

Lin Mo turned to look at the three of them and analyzed:

"Look, the rules state that sacrificing three achieves S-Rank; logically, once it reaches 3/3, there should be no further change."

"But now we have sacrificed four, and it has become 4/3."

Han Mengyao paused, then immediately understood Lin Mo's meaning; a glint of sharp light flashed in her eyes:

"You mean... if we continue to sacrifice, we might gain something unexpected?"

"That's right."

Lin Mo nodded.

Hearing this, Han Mengqing's face lit up with excitement. "The materials for the Thunder-Fire Combo Skill are already worth a fortune. Could there be something even better?"

Lin Mo looked at everyone and said:

"The Mad Shark Guild has already sent two teams in. They absolutely won't let us leave alive."

"Fortunately, this Team Fuben restricts levels to 20-25. Within this level range, we are invincible."

"No matter what, it's worth a try. Let's wait a bit longer."

Han Mengqing was the first to speak in agreement:

"Young Lady has no objection. Whoever comes, we'll wipe them out!"

"Alright."

Han Mengyao spoke only faintly.

Chu Lingxuan looked at the others. Though somewhat reluctant, she still nodded:

"Since they are bad people, and it might even increase everyone's rewards... then, then let's wait a bit longer."

Seeing everyone reach an agreement, the corners of Lin Mo's mouth lifted slightly.

He hoped his judgment was correct.

Afterwards, he found a relatively clean spot and sat down.

"Hearing Xiao Tu, keep watch on the ground. As soon as anyone approaches the temple, tell me immediately."

【The 'Earth Shield Technique' instantly perked up: "Rest assured, Master! Within this radius of several li, even if a single ant crawls by, I can feel it!"】

【The 'Fireball Technique', looking at its boastful younger brother, felt utterly sour: "Alright, alright, that's enough. Acting like anyone can't one-shot someone."】

【The 'Fireball Technique' raised its head: "Next wave, I won't give you a chance to show off. I'll make you all know that in this house, the Fire Mage is the only true god!"】

【The 'Lightning Strike Technique' seemed to see right through the 'Fireball Technique' feeling its spotlight was stolen and wanting to defend the eldest brother's status.】

【It spoke calmly: "Heh, getting anxious."】

【The 'Fireball Technique' instantly bristled: "Anxious? Who's anxious? You want to fight, do you?"】

【The 'Lightning Strike Technique': "Bai Chi."】

"..."

The corners of Lin Mo's mouth twitched slightly.

Regarding the daily bickering of these clowns in his household, he had already become somewhat numb and accustomed to it.

Let them argue. As long as they don't drop the ball when it's time to work.