At these words, silence once again fell over the surroundings.
"You dare to play me for a fool?"
Underneath his mask, Ling Zhong’s face was grim; he felt insulted.
Ling Zhong shook his head in disappointment, then coldly raised his hand.
"My heart goes out to the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the ditch."
"Go, leave no one alive."
As Ling Zhong gave the order, the four One-Dots surged with killing intent, unable to hold back any longer as they charged towards Zhao Li and his group.
At the same time, the two E-Class Blood Mantises’ eyes glowed crimson, and they attacked in unison.
Ling Zhong did not target Cheng Xing, choosing instead to first harvest these experience packages from Zhao Li, which would also allow him to demonstrate the methods of the Killing Cult.
At this moment, he was confident of victory; everyone’s stamina had already been depleted by his F-Class Blood Mantises, leaving them with little combat power. Even the five Level 10 Awakeners were no match for two E-Class Blood Mantises.
With Blood Mantises charging them, he couldn't imagine how he could lose.
"Why us!"
"It’s not fair!"
Zhao Li’s subordinates wailed.
Desperately resisting the attacks of the four Killing Cultists, these individuals leveled up by killing, using attack methods they had never seen before. Coupled with the E-Class Blood Mantises behind them, their hearts were filled with despair.
Under the dual blow of physical and psychological trauma, many were severely wounded in an instant.
Cheng Xing and Su Yanran exchanged glances, nodding in unspoken agreement.
After luring the fish, it was time to use the net.
The next moment, both their figures vanished simultaneously. Upon closer inspection, each appeared before a Blood Mantis.
"Four Direction Slash!"
"Cold Light Sword Encirclement!"
With two soft shouts, a dazzling flurry of blades and swords ensued.
The two E-Class Blood Mantises were sent flying backward by their attacks, blood splattering from their bodies as they wailed.
This commotion stunned everyone.
Didn't they run out of energy?
How could they still use skills?
It was already terrifying that Cheng Xing could repel an E-Class Blood Mantis, but considering his previous formidable combat power, it seemed reasonable.
However, for Su Yanran to also repel one was unheard of.
It was then that everyone remembered that from the beginning, they had only focused on her beauty, never considering how a woman dared to investigate alone in a Disaster Area.
"You also have an S-Class Talent?!"
Ling Zhong’s face was grim; it seemed things had spiraled beyond his control.
He hadn't expected both of them to have S-Class Talents and to have conspired to put on a show.
"Boss Cheng Xing is awesome!"
"Sister Su is awesome!"
Upon seeing this, the Hackclaw Squad couldn't help but cheer.
Hearing this, the people surrounded by the Killing Cultists also showed joy, and facing their attacks, they seemed to be on the verge of a counterattack.
After all, they were only out of energy, not dead.
Ling Zhong frowned slightly; the advantage in the current situation was no longer on his side. Relying solely on his subordinates, he couldn't take down that pile of experience packages. He had to rely on the Blood Mantises to cripple them before harvesting.
Now that the Blood Mantises were being held back, if they were annihilated, their defeat would be certain.
Thinking of this, Ling Zhong seemed to lose his previous composure.
"Damn it, why isn't my Ling Zhong Talent SS-Class!"
"If it were SS-Class, I wouldn't need all this trouble."
Ling Zhong looked at the current situation, as if swayed by Cheng Xing’s earlier words. His talent allowed him to plant Ling Zhongs within Disaster Beasts to control them, three of the same level, or fifty of a lower level.
Although very powerful, it had a drawback: he would not gain experience from Disaster Beasts or Awakeners killed by the Disaster Beasts he controlled.
Soon, Ling Zhong realized he had been swayed by Cheng Xing’s words and quickly regained his composure.
He looked at the stalemated Cultists and the retreating Blood Mantises.
A thought flashed through his mind, and the corner of his mouth under the mask curled into a strange smile.
"Do you want to join the Killing Cult?"
"We don't look at talent, we don't look at background, as long as you prove yourselves."
"We will accept you."
Ling Zhong looked down at Zhao Li and his group, who were still resisting, and spoke.
His words were like a devil's whisper, constantly tempting their minds.
The dangers they had encountered while teaming up to kill Disaster Beasts, being rejected by certain teams due to their talents, and other such experiences, involuntarily replayed in their minds.
Many people wavered after hearing his words.
"Don't be swayed by him!"
"He's at the end of his rope; just hold on a little longer. Once we deal with the Blood Mantises, we'll be fine."
"And I warn you, if you kill people and become Fallen, you will be the enemy of all bases!"
Seeing Ling Zhong try to corrupt them, Su Yanran’s expression changed slightly, and she quickly spoke.
With Su Yanran’s reminder, everyone suddenly came to their senses.
"That's right, everyone, hold on a little longer!"
At this moment, Zhao Li also quickly spoke to stabilize the crowd. After hearing Ling Zhong’s words, he had an impulse to attack those beside him for a moment, but Su Yanran’s mention of being the enemy of all bases brought his rationality back.
With these continuous reminders, everyone understood, and the despair on their faces faded.
Seeing this, Ling Zhong knew that he had failed this time and it was time to prepare his escape.
Just as he was about to abandon his subordinates and flee, a scream echoed through the night sky...
"Ah!"
Zhao Li’s eyes widened. A sword blade protruded from his chest, dripping crimson liquid, soaking his shirt red.
When he turned his head to see who had attacked him, his pupils contracted sharply.
"Why... I... helped... you... Liu Gu..."
Liu Gu’s eyes were bloodshot, and his face was contorted with ferocity.
"I had no choice!"
"I’m not like you; there’s no place for me in the base anymore!"
"Don't blame me! Blame them!"
He shrieked hysterically, pulling out the long sword. Zhao Li fell to the ground weakly, completely lifeless. To his dying breath, he couldn't believe that Liu Gu would actually attack him.
As Zhao Li died, a faint glow passed over Liu Gu’s body. Though not bright, it was strikingly eerie in the night.
"Is this what a Fallen is?"
After killing Zhao Li, the experience gained leveled up Liu Gu, who hadn't leveled up in half a year. Feeling the continuous surge of power within him, he couldn't help but exclaim.
The next moment, he swiftly charged out, attacking the other squads.
Those people could resist the attacks of the Killing Cultists, but facing a fully-powered E-Class Adventurer, they were ultimately outmatched.
They were cut down like vegetables by Liu Gu, who harvested them without mercy.
He showed no quarter to their pleas for mercy, and soon, wails filled the air.
In just a few breaths, all of Zhao Li’s standing group had been killed. Liu Gu had now leveled up to 13.
Watching Liu Gu wreak havoc, Ling Zhong stopped in his tracks.
"Only E-Class Talent? Well, it’s enough."
After killing everyone who was standing, Liu Gu didn't even spare those who had fled earlier and had their legs broken by Blood Mantises. He went around and finished them off one by one with his sword.
"Aren't you C-Class Talents? Why aren't you shouting now? Weren't you looking down on me?"
Liu Gu yelled as he killed.
His eyes were filled with madness, as if those people were not human, but tools for him to vent his rage.
"Save me!"
The C-Class Talent squad, lying on the ground helpless, raised their hands to Cheng Xing and Su Yanran for help.
However, their only response was Liu Gu’s long sword.
"Xiao Su, killing a Fallen isn't illegal, is it?"
Cheng Xing repelled a Blood Mantis with a single strike, then looked at the frenzied Liu Gu in the distance, asking calmly.
Su Yanran dodged the Blood Mantis’s attack, glanced over, and smiled faintly, saying indifferently:
"Of course, he who kills others will himself be killed."