Chapter 27: First Encounter with the Witch!

The night was as dark as ink, on the rugged mountain road of Tilan Mountain, a hundred government soldiers held torches, pulling three carts of treasure slowly forward, the creaking of the cart wheels echoing in the mountains.

Buzz——buzz buzz buzz!

In the grass, scarlet and eerie mosquitoes rapidly beat their wings, flying toward the government soldier squad transporting the treasure.

Smack!

"Damn, it's early spring and there are mosquitoes already!" A soldier at the rear slapped the mosquito on his neck dead, staring at the bloodstain on his hand and muttering.

As soon as his words fell, the bloodstain on his hand quickly turned black; immediately, that pool of blood in his palm, like concentrated sulfuric acid, in the blink of an eye corroded the flesh of his hand clean, revealing stark white bone!

Ah!

Hand! My hand!

Perhaps because it all happened too fast, the soldier initially felt no pain; only when he saw his palm turn to white bone did he feel a piercing pain and fear!

His shout drew the attention of the other soldiers; all the soldiers instantly drew their waist weapons and vigilantly looked around.

Swish!

A blade flash passed; the squad commander swiftly slashed, cutting off the soldier's arm already corroded to the elbow, his face solemn as he looked around and said: "It's a witch! Everyone, perk up for me!"

Although the soldier whose arm was cut off was in so much pain he nearly fainted, seeing that his life seemed spared, he still struggled to thank his squad commander.

Thank you...

But before he could finish his words, his face suddenly stiffened, and then, looking terrified, he still wanted to say something.

Uh... uh... chief...

Before the soldier could utter the words with his mouth opening and closing, his face quickly turned purplish-black, and his vital breath instantly dissipated.

Thud!

He's dead!

After the corpse fell to the ground, all its flesh began to rot again; within just a few breaths, the ground was left with only a pile of scarlet flesh and stark white bone.

This eerie scene directly scared the surrounding soldiers silly!

"Commander, this..." Wang Erhu personally witnessed this eerie scene, and couldn't help but recall the witch‑extermination mission he once carried out following Lü Yuan.

Back then they also encountered various eerie and horrifying things, and the deaths of their comrades were extremely gruesome.

Don't be afraid!

These witches only know how to play tricks; their own strength is weak!

Everyone, split into five squads and search for me!

The squad commander, being a Warrior Master Third Level martial artist, obviously had some knowledge of witches.

The witches' methods are indeed eerie, but likewise their physical strength is weak; once a martial artist gets close in combat, all their eerie techniques will lose effect.

The slightly panicked soldiers, upon hearing their squad commander speak, immediately gathered around their own squad flag, forming five squads and charging out in all directions.

But before they could get far, a buzzing sound rang out again from the night, followed by dozens of scarlet mosquitoes identical to before flying from one place and rapidly lunging at the soldiers!

Ah!

Watch out for these mosquitoes!

My face!

Save me!

In an instant, miserable cries rose and fell one after another!

The soldiers bitten by the mosquitoes had their flesh, centered on the bite, quickly begin to rot; in the blink of an eye, each soldier who had been lively and vigorous turned into white bone!

In the crowd, Wang Erhu, quick‑eyed and quick‑handed, precisely sliced the mosquito lunging at him with his plain blade!

The mosquito's blood splattered onto the plain blade, actually hissing with white steam, corroding the blade's edge into pits!

You sneaky, cowardly dog!

The squad commander locked onto the direction of the witch hiding in the dark the moment the mosquitoes flew out, his body explosively surging forward as he charged straight toward that direction!

Behind him, the several dozen surviving soldiers also instantly reacted, grabbing their plain blades and following him!

In the woods, a figure clad in a hemp long shirt, covered with a wide cloak, and wearing an eerie bronze mask on his face watched the charging squad commander martial artist, showing no intention to retreat at all.

"I've found you!" The squad commander soldier grabbed his plain blade and came up close, instantly spotting the witch's silhouette.

He suddenly stomped his foot, leapt high into the air, and brought his plain blade down with the force of splitting mountains and shattering stones toward the hemp‑clad figure!

The plain blade's length swelled, forming a blade aura about a zhang long, and in the blink of an eye it reached the hemp‑clad figure!

Just as that person was about to be split in half by this blade, a far larger silhouette suddenly burst out from the darkness beside him!

The next moment!

Clang!

The blade aura directly struck the emerging figure, sending sparks flying everywhere!

Seeing the eerie figure hard‑take his strike without a scratch, the squad commander's face filled with astonishment!

Wang Erhu and the others who had rushed up also looked in horror at the thing blocking the hemp‑clad figure.

"Commander, what the hell is this thing!?"

The squad commander's face grew grave: "How the hell should I know!?"

The thing before them stood over a zhang tall, resembling a person but devoid of any vitality, like a corpse.

Its two stout arms had no hands; instead, sharp bone‑crafted curved blades were attached at the wrists.

Kill them.

The hemp‑clad figure's hoarse voice issued the command, and the hulking monster before it suddenly moved.

Its huge body leapt up nearly ten zhang, soaring over the squad commander and crashing into the midst of Wang Erhu and the other soldiers!

Kill!

All the government troops barely dodged the attack, as heavy as Mount Tai pressing down, and they all raised their blades to chop at that burly figure!

Clang!

Clang!

Clank-clank!

The government troops' blades slashed at the monster's body, but it was as if they were chopping the hardest rock, leaving no trace!

After enduring countless slashes from the government troops' blades, the monster lifted its bone blade and activated its killing mode!

Each government troop who had reached the Martial Apprentice Realm had no ability to resist its attacks—touch meant injury, contact meant death!

Figures flew about, and miserable cries rang out!

After the strange monster charged into the crowd, like a tiger among sheep, not a single government troop martial artist could block its strike!

"Die!"

Watching his brothers being slaughtered, the Chief Flag government troop refused to believe it, leapt high into the air, and slashed straight at the back of the monster's neck!

Pfft!

This blade, infused with all his strength, finally took effect, successfully breaking the monster's defense!

Seeing this, the Chief Flag government troop was overjoyed!

Being able to break the defense is good enough—at least it proves the monster isn't invincible!

But before his smile could fully bloom, the monster suddenly turned, and the sharp bone blade attached to its arm swung straight at his neck!

The Chief Flag government troop's face turned pale with fright; he hurried to draw his blade to dodge, only to find his plain blade stuck in the monster's neck muscles!

Pfft!

The bone blade sliced across his neck, and a line of blood welled up!

A wound appeared on the Chief Flag government troop's neck, nearly identical to the one on Wang Ergou's neck earlier, and his life force gradually faded!

"Chief Flag!"

Seeing their Chief Flag slain, the remaining government troops wanted to rush forward, but even martial artists of the Martial Master Third Stage were no match for the monster—how could a bunch of Martial Apprentices possibly wound it at all?

Having dealt with the toughest foe, the monster then launched a massacre against the remaining government troops!

In the crowd, Wang Erhu watched his comrades fall one by one to gruesome deaths, and a hint of despair appeared on his face.

Seeing his brothers-in-arms pierced through the chest by the bone blade, lifted high and struggling violently, a flash of resolve crossed his eyes; he stomped his foot, leapt up, and swung his plain blade at the monster's head!

Boom!

Before Wang Erhu could even get close, the monster hurled the government troop impaled on its bone blade straight at him!

The terrifying force directly flung Wang Erhu's body flying away!

Crack!

A grating bone-breaking sound rang out, and Wang Erhu's body was hurled down onto a nearby cliff.

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(End of chapter)