Chapter 100

After dinner, Su Hao went alone outside the shelter, casually plucked a handful of grass, and used blood flame to ignite it.

After the flame died out, only a small pile of ash remained on the spot—this is one of the auxiliary materials needed to concoct a Second Rank necromancer's magic potion: plant ash.

Next, Su Hao took out a skeleton monster's bones he had picked up from the graveyard and applied Item Refining Technique to it.

However, after the blood-red refining light faded, instead of the bone powder he expected appearing on the ground, a spherical bone the size of a pinky finger appeared.

【White Bone Essence】

Supernatural Grade: First Rank

Effect: Consuming it increases bone hardness; for undead creatures, there is also a tiny chance to increase their own bone element affinity.

……

"Ah? Could it be that bone powder is too low-grade, so it can't be refined?"

Su Hao blinked slightly, but upon seeing the appraisal result displayed, a hint of joy appeared on his face.

A supernatural item that can strengthen bone strength is a good thing for anyone, and Su Hao is no exception.

Moreover, after undead creatures use White Bone Essence, there is also a tiny chance to increase bone element affinity.

Once Su Hao advances this time, he may gain the traits of an undead creature, giving him a chance to trigger the effect of increasing bone element affinity.

The chance to increase bone element affinity by using White Bone Essence is just too low; relying on the bones in Su Hao's Storage Bag, if luck is bad, he might not trigger it even once.

"In that case, no matter what, I must go back to that graveyard and bring back more bones!"

The graveyard where Grandpa Andrew's tomb lies is filled with a dense sea of skeletons stretching as far as the eye can see.

Even if most of these skeleton monsters are ordinary ones, with such a huge base, there must be tens of thousands of First Rank skeleton monsters.

If all these First Rank skeleton monsters were refined completely, the White Bone Essence obtained would surely let Su Hao's bone strength and bone element affinity reach a new height.

Moreover, Su Hao possesses the Synthesis Heart; if he further synthesizes the White Bone Essence, its effect and chance can be enhanced even more.

However, there is at least a Supernatural Grade Third Tier, possibly even Fourth Tier Bone Dragon there, plus an entire sea of skeletons; without full confidence, Su Hao cannot go there.

Since he can't go there for a while, Su Hao set the matter aside, took out an ordinary bone, and directly ground it with the Gravity Rock Axe.

Through Item Appraisal Technique, he confirmed that the powder after grinding was exactly another auxiliary material for the necromancer's magic potion—bone powder! Afterwards, Su Hao took the bone powder and plant ash back to his room.

According to the potion's recipe, pour 100 grams of pure water, 10 grams of bone powder, and 10 grams of plant ash into a clean glass cup.

After stirring thoroughly, Su Hao, following the method shown in the recipe, used mental power to wrap around the specter's soul crystal and Grandpa Andrew's skull, then tossed them into the glass cup.

The next moment.

The specter's soul crystal and Grandpa Andrew's skull gradually showed signs of melting; the liquid in the glass cup rapidly boiled, and strands of white gas imbued with a strong deathly aura rose from the cup's mouth.

Above the glass cup formed a white skull made of these gases, emitting a piercing wail that struck the soul; at that moment, Su Hao's mental power began to drain at a visible speed.

Finally, under the support of Su Hao's strong mental power, that white skull turned back into gas and shrank back into the glass cup.

At this point, the potion's refinement is mostly complete.

From now on, Su Hao has nothing else to do; just wait for the specter's soul crystal and Grandpa Andrew's skull to completely melt, and the potion will be considered finished.

"It'll take about another day or so to finish the refinement."

Su Hao nodded, took out two energy crystals and placed them aside to provide energy for the potion's refinement, then lay down on the bed to sleep.

……

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, a night passed, and it was noon the next day—today also being the thirteenth day since the strange descent.

At this moment, a helicopter was slowly flying toward Su Hao's shelter.

Inside the helicopter, Ling Xue'er and the others gazed at a distant towering tree, all wearing looks of shock, as if doubting life itself.

"I remember last time I came here, there wasn't this withered tree…"

Recalling the scene from her previous visit, Ling Xue'er couldn't help muttering to herself.

"Could it be…"

"Is this withered tree about a hundred meters tall a new building constructed by Boss Su Hao? But building such a conspicuous giant tree in the dark forest—wouldn't the boss worry about being attacked by monsters like goblins? Oh oh, I almost forgot—this is Boss Su Hao's territory; if a few little goblins dared to come over, wouldn't they just be delivering food? Still, erecting such a massive structure would surely require a huge amount of material."

"I never expected that in just two days without seeing him, the boss would have built such a huge structure—this is too absurd, given that the stronger one gets, the harder it is to improve. 'Xue'er, tell Su Hao we've arrived outside his territory.'"

Zhu Ge Chang Qing, as the leader of the Third Squad of the God Summer Doomsday Investigation Group, was also shocked to the core.

Yet he kept Su Hao's instructions in mind; when the helicopter flew to a position seven or eight kilometers from the withered trees, he had it hover in the air.

Originally, before coming, he had still been somewhat dismissive of Su Hao's request.

At that time he didn't think Su Hao had any ability to affect a seven- to eight-kilometer radius.

But when he saw that withered tree over a hundred meters tall, he changed his mind.

Being able to construct such a massive building and possessing a supernatural item that can influence a seven- to eight-kilometer radius seems not impossible.

"Okay, leader!"

After hearing Zhu Ge Chang Qing's order, Ling Xue'er also snapped out of her shock, nodded, and sent Su Hao a message.

……

Meanwhile.

In Su Hao's room.

【Ding!】

【Ling Xue'er: Boss boss, we've arrived.】

At that moment, a notification tone came from Su Hao's communication bracelet, startling him awake from his sleep.

After returning to the shelter the previous night, Su Hao had dinner and then early on went to bed to sleep.

Although Su Hao's current physique meant that even after two days of running around outside he didn't feel tired.

But as an ordinary human who had lived these years, once he relaxed, he felt the urge to sleep.

Moreover, Grandpa Andrew's candle-wood double bed had such an excellent sleep‑aid effect that he accidentally slept straight through to noon the next day.

【Su Hao: All right, you can come in now.】

Su Hao first issued an order to the Withered Ancient Tree, temporarily treating humans as friendly, and only then allowed Lin Lingxue'er and the others to enter, to prevent them from being accidentally injured by the Withering Curse.

Immediately afterward, Su Hao took out a skeleton monster's bow and arrow, and a strand of wolf-head stitching monster's hair, from his Storage Bag, and used Synthesis Heart once on these two items.

Since we agreed to take a Supernatural Grade weapon as payment, Su Hao naturally won't be stingy, and moreover, with Lingxue'er's help, he has saved himself a lot of trouble.

Not long after, as the golden light of synthesis faded, a cyan longbow appeared on Su Hao's bed.

【Clear Wind Longbow】

Supernatural Grade: First Rank

Effect: The arrows fired from the Clear Wind Longbow fly faster and have greater penetration.

If spiritual power is consumed to inscribe runes (diagram) on the bow body, the arrows can also gain wind elemental damage, further increasing their flight speed and penetration.

……

"Not bad!"

Su Hao nodded and stored the Clear Wind Longbow in his Storage Bag.

Although the Clear Wind Longbow can't compare to the Gravity Rock Axe, it is still much better than many Supernatural Grade First Rank bows and arrows.

Using this as payment for Lingxue'er also fits his identity.

While Lingxue'er and the others have not yet arrived at the shelter, Su Hao plans to use up today's remaining three synthesis opportunities.

Immediately, he thought, took out six ice snow gems, used Synthesis Heart twice in a row, and synthesized two First Rank Ice Snow Divine Stones.

Next, Su Hao applied today's final synthesis opportunity to these two First Rank Ice Snow Divine Stones and the First Rank Ice Snow Divine Stone synthesized yesterday. When the synthesis golden light faded, a gem similar in appearance to a First Rank Ice Snow Divine Stone, likewise snowflake-shaped, appeared in Su Hao's hand.

However, this gem appears somewhat larger in volume and its color is more azure.

【Second Rank Ice Snow Divine Stone】

Supernatural Grade: Second Rank

Effect: The Second Rank Ice Snow Divine Stone can further increase the surrounding ice elemental concentration, strengthen the effect of ice elemental magic, and reduce the power of fire elemental magic.

Placing a large amount of Second Rank Ice Snow Divine Stones in the same location for a long time can permanently alter that area's environment, causing other elements to decrease and ice elemental concentration to greatly increase, making it more suitable for the growth and enhancement of ice snow creatures.

If the Ice Snow Divine Stone is upgraded to Third Rank, using structures built from it will have a small chance to grant an ice-related ability.

……

"Unfortunately, there aren't enough materials to upgrade it to Third Rank."

Su Hao regretfully shook his head; he only has three ice snow gems left on him, and to synthesize another Ice Snow Divine Stone he would need 18 ice snow gems.

However, a Second Rank Ice Snow Divine Stone is sufficient; once Lingxue'er delivers the frost stone, we can construct the freezing ice pillar.

Tomorrow the extreme heat disaster will arrive; to get through the next three days of extreme heat disaster more comfortably, we must hurry to build the freezing ice pillar.

……

While Su Hao was synthesizing the Ice Snow Divine Stone, Lingxue'er and the others had already taken a helicopter to the front of the Withered Ancient Tree.

"Sister Snow, I feel these scarecrows are a bit scary..."

One girl whose figure matches Lin Snow's, also flat-chested, looking at the surrounding uniform yet varied odd scarecrows, pulled Lingxue'er's sleeve, a flash of fear crossing her eyes.

"I also feel these scarecrows seem off; they look as if they're alive..."

Looking at the scarecrows' hollow eyes and weird smile, Lingxue'er couldn't help but shrink her neck.

"How come the big boss's territory is so weird? If these scarecrows could move on their own, and there were even more of them, that would be even scarier..."

"Ah!!!"

"Snow, Snow sister, those scarecrows move move move, they've started moving!"

At that moment, Leyun suddenly wrapped her arms around Lingxue'er's arm and let out a scream.

Lingxue'er and Zhu Ge Chang Qing followed Leyun's gaze and saw that all the surrounding scarecrows had stiffly turned their heads to look at them; their faces instantly changed.

Sha sha sha——! But the next moment they heard a rustling sound coming from behind them.

Looking back, they saw an armored goblin warrior leading over ten ordinary goblins charging out from behind weeds taller than a person.

"Aba aba!"

After seeing Lingxue'er and the others, the armored goblin warrior let out a strange cry, raised his giant axe, and led the remaining ten goblins to charge at them.

"Careful, the leader is an armored goblin warrior with Supernatural Grade First Rank strength; Leyun, prepare your defensive barrier!"

Zhu Ge Chang Qing, having lived most of his life, has a temperament far better than many youngsters; plus his talent and Supernatural sequence, which are also related to temperament, he quickly calmed down and gave the correct command.

These people are not skilled in melee combat; if the armored goblin warrior gets close, even three of them fighting one might not necessarily win.

Currently the most effective way to break through is Leyun's defensive barrier; only by blocking one round of attacks from the armored goblin warrior do they have a chance to counterattack.

"Yes!"

Leyun nodded, hastily took out a wooden magic staff, used mental power to communicate with the skill runes in her mind, and released a semi-transparent white light beam, enveloping the three of them.

Lingxue'er was not idle either; she took down the longbow and Lethally Poisoned Arrows from her back, drew the bow, and aimed at the charging armored goblin warrior.

However, there's one thing she couldn't figure out: logically, this Supernatural Grade First Rank armored goblin warrior, still several hundred meters away, should have triggered her danger sense earlier.

But soon she understood why.

The reason her danger sense didn't warn is that these ordinary goblins, as well as the armored goblin warrior, basically cannot pose any threat to her.

Just as Lingxue'er had drawn her bow aiming at the armored goblin warrior, before she could release the bowstring to fire the Lethally Poisoned Arrow,

she saw that the armored goblin warrior and the over ten ordinary goblins beside him suddenly had their blood and qi visibly draining down their legs into the ground.

In less than ten seconds, the over ten ordinary goblins turned into dry corpses lying on the ground.

Even that armored goblin warrior, due to massive loss of blood and qi, rapidly withered away.

Shortly after, his body shrank considerably; he relied on his giant axe propped on the ground to keep from collapsing.

He panted heavily, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at the over‑hundred‑meter‑tall withered tree more than a hundred meters away, and without hesitation knelt down to beg for mercy.

Unfortunately, his pleas for mercy received no response.

Finally, this supernaturally First Rank heavy-armored goblin warrior, amidst continual pleading, just like the other ordinary goblins, turned into a desiccated corpse, maintaining this kneeling posture, and fell to the ground.

But it wasn't over yet; just after the heavy-armored goblin warrior lost all vitality and completely turned into a desiccated corpse, his corpse gradually began to become fibrous.

After a moment, it turned into a scarecrow with legs together and standing upright, arms crossed outward, whole body withered yellow, standing on the ground, face showing an eerie smile, the hollow eyes silently gazing at Ling Xue'er and the others.

「Gurgle—！」

Le Yun and Ling Xue'er tightly embraced each other, instinctively reaching out their small hands to cover each other's mouths, swallowing hard with difficulty, not daring to breathe.

Could it be that…

These scarecrows around, just like that heavy-armored goblin warrior, were all transformed from living beings? Thinking this, Ling Xue'er and Le Yun exchanged a glance, and instantly felt their scalps go numb.

Could it be that we fell under some illusion today, leading us to the wrong place? This is actually not the boss's sanctuary, but the lair of some strange creature?

This ability to turn living beings into scarecrows certainly doesn't look like something humans could possess.

This level of eeriness feels in no way inferior to that monastery…

Just as Ling Xue'er and Le Yun clung tightly together, covering each other's mouths, not knowing what to do for a moment.

Beside the Withered Ancient Tree, inside the shelter whose applied discoloring paint rendered it invisible, Su Hao pushed the door open and stepped out, waving at the few people.

「Don't be afraid, come in and have a seat first. 」

Ling Xue'er: ……

Le Yun: ……

Zhu Ge Chang Qing: ……

No, it's really hard not to be afraid of such a bizarre scene; anyone would feel afraid!

Wait a moment, how is it that the boss appears so calm and carefree?

Could it be that this is truly his territory, not the lair of some strange creature? The ability that turns the heavy-armored goblin warrior into a scarecrow is also the boss's doing?!

Can this really be something a person can do?

「Could it be that…」

「When we were in the underground tomb, the stone figure called the boss a monster precisely because he saw the boss's true form and knew he wasn't a human? 」

Ling Xue'er's eyes flickered as she recalled the stone figure's words in the underground tomb; it suddenly felt this possibility was quite high.

After all, today is only the thirteenth day since the strange phenomenon descended; we're all ordinary people, there's no reason the gap should be this huge!

However, regardless of the boss's identity, one thing is certain: at least he has shown no hostility toward us few humans.

Just knowing this is enough! Of course, this doesn't rule out that we might still be under the illusion of some strange creature.

Moreover, worrying about this is useless; if that strange creature truly possesses such power, whatever we do would be meaningless.

After figuring this out, Ling Xue'er, Le Yun, and the others exchanged a glance, followed behind Su Hao, and entered his shelter.