Chapter 36

After sensing Su Xiao’s gaze, Rize’s body stiffened, her eyes locked onto him without daring to look away.

At this moment, Su Xiao’s [Dragon-Slaying Flash] was deeply embedded in the Gecko’s head, entering through the eye socket and exiting through the back of the skull.

Even so, the Gecko was still alive, demonstrating just how resilient a Linhe ghoul’s life force was.

After Su Xiao severed his Hezi and one arm, the Gecko had virtually no combat capability left—hence the single stab through his skull.

“No~… impossible. How could a human be this strong?”

The Gecko’s body convulsed; brain damage had scrambled his thoughts.

Su Xiao gripped the hilt and pulled the [Dragon-Slaying Flash] horizontally.

A brutal scene unfolded—the razor-sharp [Dragon-Slaying Flash] cleaved straight through the Gecko’s skull, bursting out from his temple.

Half of the Gecko’s head was severed; he collapsed with a thud, white-and-red fluid oozing from his eye sockets, his appearance grotesque.

Being stabbed through the skull and being split open by a blade are two different things. Though the Gecko’s vitality was strong, if he didn’t consume human flesh soon, he would die quickly.

Su Xiao understood ghoul resilience somewhat—he recalled how the “Gourmet” Tsukiyama in the original story had lost half his head to Dong Xiang, yet miraculously survived by eating his own flesh.

The blade swept through; the Gecko’s head fell to the ground, his blood-stained white mask shattering.

Su Xiao knew the Gecko was a pivotal character in the original story, crucial to advancing the plot.

Without the Gecko, Jin Muyan’s growth would have been much slower—but what did that have to do with him?

He was here to complete his mission and grow stronger through the power of the Lunhuileyuan , not to grovel before characters from the original story.

If Jin Muyan ever appeared before Su Xiao after growing stronger, he’d cut him down without hesitation.

The current Jin Muyan wasn’t even worth killing.

【You killed an S-class ghoul, Da Shou Bayun.】

【Da Shou Bayun is a key plot character. You gained 5.2% of the World Source. Total World Source acquired: 5.2%.】

【Your talent “Soul Eater” has activated. Permanent +10 Mana. Current Mana: 163.】

After killing the Gecko, a green treasure chest floated above his body.

Only Contractors could see this green chest; the dozen or so Contractors watching from afar stared greedily at it—if Su Xiao weren’t there, they would’ve already rushed in.

“What? You want this chest? If you do, come and take it.”

Su Xiao smiled at the Contractors. Had he not feared Rize might flee, he’d have cleared them all already.

Rize had wanted to run from the start, but the Gecko died too fast—slain in a single glance by Su Xiao, all in four strikes.

First strike: severed the Hezi . Second: severed the arm. Third: pierced the skull. Fourth: decapitated.

Rize didn’t not want to run—she simply didn’t have time.

“Don’t misunderstand—we have no other intentions.”

Han Yu was the first to speak, slowly retreating with his group; the other Contractors followed suit.

The little girl Xi Luo Luo hesitated, then followed Han Yu’s retreat. Though she’d once traded with Su Xiao, they had no personal bond.

From Su Xiao’s ruthless fighting style, it was clear he was no soft-hearted man.

The Contractors began to fall back, but didn’t leave immediately; once at a safe distance, they watched the scene.

“Now, it’s your turn.”

Su Xiao flicked his wrist, shaking off the Gecko’s remains from the [Dragon-Slaying Flash]; the blade gleamed clean.

After several battles, Su Xiao realized the [Dragon-Slaying Flash] was an excellent weapon—though only a White-rank item, its rating was exceptionally high, maxed at 10.

This taught him one thing: fully rated gear was usually good, even if it was White-rank.

One could imagine what the stats of a fully rated Green or Blue-rank item would be—perhaps off the charts. As for higher-tier gear, Su Xiao had never heard of any.

But he was certain higher-tier gear existed.

Su Xiao’s murderous aura made Rize step back two paces; this great ghoul now looked pitifully vulnerable.

If Rize wiped the blood from her face, Su Xiao would look like a pure villain, bullying a “helpless woman.”

But Rize wasn’t helpless—she was a man-eating ghoul. No matter how beautiful, she was still a ghoul.

“Don’t come closer. We have no grudge—let me go.”

Rize resorted to the only option left: negotiation. The Gecko’s headless corpse still lay on the ground; direct combat was hopeless.

Su Xiao picked up the green chest dropped by the Gecko and smiled at Rize.

“Let you go? What’s in it for me?”

Rize hesitated, her eyes filled with killing intent—but finally, she flashed him a seductive glance.

The Contractors watching from afar felt intense injustice.

To them, Shen Dai Rize was a boss-level presence—but now, before Su Xiao, she was offering herself to survive. How unfair.

Unfair? They only saw Su Xiao’s current strength. Before this, in the Pirate World, he’d struggled desperately.

Assassinating a king in a world crawling with monsters—how difficult that was, one could imagine.

Su Xiao’s true power far exceeded his Lv.2 level—that’s why he could effortlessly crush an S-class ghoul.

Besides, in Su Xiao’s view, the world was never fair. The only fair thing? Everyone dies.

Su Xiao regarded Shen Dai Rize with interest and walked slowly toward her.

Rize hesitated, then stepped forward to meet him—but she didn’t retract her Hezi .

Rize trusted her beauty. She’d used it to lure countless men—each ended as her meal.

Five meters. Three meters. One meter.

Su Xiao raised his left hand and gently touched Rize’s cheek. Ghoul skin was tough, but her cheek was astonishingly smooth.

The four deep crimson Hezi behind her began to coil, glowing red, ready to strike.

“Die.”

The four Hezi erupted like iron hooks, forming a ring to pierce Su Xiao’s back.

“Puch.”

The sound of metal piercing flesh rang out—Su Xiao’s long blade had pierced Rize’s chest.

Rize’s crimson eyes widened, filled with cruelty, madness, and fear—fear of death.

“I knew it.”

Rize let out a bitter laugh, her gaze helplessly fixed on the blade that had pierced her—[Dragon-Slaying Flash] had torn straight through her heart, its tip stained red.

“Men like you… aren’t easily seduced. It hurts so much~.”

The agonizing pain of burning RC cells surged through her; Rize bent forward.

Su Xiao gripped the hilt with one hand and pressed his other palm against the blade’s back, shoving hard sideways.

The [Dragon-Slaying Flash] carved cleanly through Rize’s chest, emerging from beneath her armpit.

“Splatter.”

A torrent of blood splashed onto the floor. Rize’s body went limp, her Hezi dissolving into the air, collapsing weakly against Su Xiao.

Throughout, Su Xiao’s eyes held no lust. To be seduced by a woman in battle? That was brain-dead insanity.

At that moment, the Lunhuileyuan gave Su Xiao a prompt.

【Warning: Hunter attempting to kill key plot character: Shen Dai Rize. Before her death, extract her Hezi to ensure plot continuity.】

Su Xiao nodded. This was expected.

Thud. Rize collapsed at Su Xiao’s feet, gasping violently, blood spreading across the white tiles.

Su Xiao knelt down, his blade hovering uncertainly above her.

He didn’t know exactly where her Hezi was located. According to the original story, it should be near the kidneys.

Su Xiao simply sliced a wound across Rize’s smooth abdomen, then reached his left hand inside her body to feel around.

“Mmm~.” Rize moaned in pain, her gaze toward Su Xiao now filled with fear.

In Rize’s eyes, the man before her might be a pervert—planning to torment her before killing her.

“Hey~… don’t just fiddle with a girl’s body. People will misunderstand.”

A woman’s voice came from behind. From the dark corridor behind Su Xiao, several figures emerged.

At their head was a small figure wrapped entirely in bandages, wearing loose pink clothing and a hood. Because of the bandages, Su Xiao couldn’t see her face.