L Town Disaster Area, abandoned mall.
With the arrival of another team, the number of Blood Mantis outside the mall reached three, yet strangely, all three Blood Mantis remained outside the plaza.
They neither left nor attacked.
The newly arrived team was temporarily formed and had no team name, but it consisted of only 4 people. Through communication, it was learned that they all possessed C-Class talents and their strength had reached Level 9.
Chasing them were two Blood Mantis.
After all, if there was only one, they would have been fully capable of killing it.
They were the strongest individuals present, besides Cheng Xing and Su Yanran.
After meeting up, this team briefly exchanged some information with the people present and then did not continue their conversation with them.
After all, they were C-Class talent Awakeners, and in terms of strength, they were far stronger than the Hound and Hackclaw Squad, so they naturally looked down on them.
As for Liu Gu, they didn't even spare him a glance.
Instead, the captain of this squad stared intently at Su Yanran, not concealing the greed in his eyes.
The reason he didn't make a move was because Cheng Xing was present.
He had heard from Hackclaw that this man was capable of instantly killing a Level 9 Blood Mantis with a single strike.
Although he didn't know if it was true, he didn't want to take that risk.
After all, compared to them, the relationship between those two was clearly unusual.
He wasn't sure how strong Cheng Xing was, but he clearly understood the strength of a Level 9 Blood Mantis, having been chased by one all the way here.
To be able to instantly kill such a Disaster Beasts with a single strike, his strength must be that of a high-level E-Class Adventurer.
All the gazes from the crowd were fully taken in by Cheng Xing and Su Yanran.
"So popular, huh."
Cheng Xing leaned against the outer wall of the mall, sighing with a playful expression.
"Of course, unlike some people, who are just a blockhead."
Su Yanran tilted her head slightly, saying indignantly.
As soon as she said this, a certain person quickly changed the subject.
"Do you have any leads on the mission now?"
"From what we can tell, it's very likely that the Qingcheng Disaster Area has expanded."
Su Yanran's forehead was covered in black lines, and she said irritably.
If it really was a Disaster Area expansion, things would be much easier to handle.
As the two conversed, a fourth team appeared. This team also consisted of four people, and their strength was similar to the previous team.
However, this team was clearly more arrogant, not even looking at the Hound and Hackclaw Squad, but instead conversing with the third team.
The Blood Mantis lingering outside had already increased to five.
However, before the fourth team could fully understand the situation on site, the fifth team also rushed over from another direction, though it was more accurate to say it was just one person rather than a team.
"What's going on?"
When that person saw the crowd in the mall and the Blood Mantis surrounding the outside, his face immediately darkened.
He quickly scanned the crowd and only found one familiar face, which was Liu Gu, who was isolated to the side.
Because he, like Liu Gu, had come in with a team of one leading four.
Seeing the E-Class Adventurer's nameplate on this person, everyone's eyes lit up. Among them, the captain of the Hackclaw Squad bravely stepped forward to strike up a conversation.
And informed him of the current situation.
When Zhao Li heard that Cheng Xing had instantly killed a Level 9 Blood Mantis with a single sword strike, his face was full of surprise, and then he turned his head to look.
However, when he clearly saw Cheng Xing's face, he showed a look of disdain.
That's right, Zhao Li knew Cheng Xing. He was also present when Cheng Xing registered at the Adventurers' Guild camp earlier.
An F-Class talent new Adventurer, capable of growing into a big shot who can instantly kill a Level 9 Blood Mantis in such a short period?
He wouldn't believe it even if he was beaten to death; there must be something fishy going on.
"It seems everyone is here? What should we do now?"
Cheng Xing looked at everyone and asked in a low voice.
Su Yanran, looking at the Blood Mantis that had almost completely surrounded the mall from all directions, her willow brows slightly furrowed. The number of Blood Mantis was more than she had believed.
"What else can we do? If it really is the Qingcheng Disaster Area expanding, we can only kill them all, then return to base and inform the Adventurers' Guild."
"But I don't understand, why aren't they attacking? Is there some other reason for this?"
If it was the former, the problem would be much simpler. These Blood Mantis in front of them might be a bit troublesome for others, but they were not a problem for the two of them.
As long as an E-Class Blood Mantis doesn't appear, nothing can threaten the two of them.
"Then how do we deal with them?"
Cheng Xing pursed his lips, gesturing to the crowd not far away. These people were a mixed bag, and how to mobilize them was a troublesome matter.
"That's simple, just fabricate an Adventurers' Guild investigator identity to fool them, wouldn't that be fine?"
"Aren't you an Awakener Management Bureau reconnaissance agent? Why don't you use that identity?"
Cheng Xing regretted saying that as soon as the words left his mouth. Su Yanran looked at him with the expression of someone looking at an idiot.
She didn't even need to speak.
"Alright, you cooperate with me later." Su Yanran left that remark and then walked towards the crowd.
Cheng Xing shrugged helplessly. There was nothing he could do; when you take someone's money, you have to do as they say. For the sake of the D-Class equipment, he endured it.
"Everyone, please listen to me."
When Su Yanran moved, everyone's gaze immediately fell on her.
This was not surprising; Su Yanran's cold, ice-goddess-like face, coupled with her clear and moving voice like a silver bell, even though she was completely covered in a black robe, still exuded a unique charm.
If she were to lift her foot, many people would probably be unable to resist wanting to slide to their knees to catch her.
"I am a Disaster Area investigator dispatched by the Adventurers' Guild. Recently, the Guild discovered an abnormal death rate in the L Town Disaster Area."
"Through investigation, it can basically be confirmed that it is an expansion of the Qingcheng Disaster Area."
Su Yanran said coldly, without any of the warmth she had when chatting with Cheng Xing.
"What? The Qingcheng Disaster Area has expanded!"
"No wonder there are so many Blood Mantis."
"Then what should we do?"
Upon hearing this, the people from the Hound and Hackclaw Squad immediately became uneasy. There were as many as seven Blood Mantis around, and with their strength, they simply couldn't fight.
The rest of the people looked at each other, deep in thought.
Disaster Area expansion is not uncommon, usually occurring after the strength of the lord Disaster Beasts in a Disaster Area increases.
This also explains why Blood Mantis from the Qingcheng Disaster Area would appear in L Town.
"Next, you just need to follow his command and eliminate all the Blood Mantis."
Su Yanran, seeing that the time was ripe, pushed Cheng Xing out with a backhand.
No one objected to this for a moment, because as soon as they met, the Hackclaw Squad had informed them about his killing of the Blood Mantis.
They had no resistance to obeying the command of a strong person.
"We have no objections."
"With a big shot leading the way, this is a sure win."
"Listen to his command? Why? Based on him being an F-Class talent new Adventurer?"
As everyone agreed, a dissenting voice unseasonably rang out.
"I don't know what methods you used to kill that Blood Mantis."
"But I saw it clearly this morning."
"He's just a newly registered F-Class talent new Adventurer. Why should he command us?"
Zhao Li slowly walked out from the team at this moment, saying with a face full of disdain.
"What? He's just an F-Class talent new Adventurer?"
"Now that you mention it, I remember, I also saw him this morning. He's right."
"Letting such a person command, isn't this ridiculous?"
With Zhao Li's reminder, people successively recalled having seen Cheng Xing in the morning.
"You're talking nonsense! We've all witnessed the strength of Big Shot Cheng Xing!"
Seeing the skepticism from the crowd, the people from the Hackclaw Squad immediately spoke up to refute, as they had personally seen Cheng Xing eliminate the Blood Mantis with a single strike.
"What do you mean 'we've all witnessed'? Did you see it with your own eyes?"
Zhao Li sneered, then asked.
The others all shook their heads. They hadn't personally seen Cheng Xing make a move; they had all heard it from Hackclaw and the others.
"Now, only a few of you have seen him make a move. I suspect you have ulterior motives."
"I propose that the upcoming battle be commanded by us two E-Class Adventurers."
"At the same time, he must stay behind and not follow us."
...