94: Chapter 94 One Slash, One Kill! The Castle Bats Are Strange

At two in the afternoon, Lin Feng stood at the entrance of the Teleportation Center.

The sunlight was a bit piercing; he squinted his eyes and looked at that massive spherical building.

It was still the same Teleportation Center, with the same flow of people.

But this time, his mindset was completely different.

The first time he came, he was a mocked newcomer.

Coming back now, he was an S-Rank Explorer, a deacon, and worth tens of millions.

“Let’s go, Xiao Jin.”

Lin Feng stepped into the hall.

Xiao Jin was perched on his shoulder, holding half a Spirit Stone and munching on it with relish.

“Crunch, crunch—”

That sound attracted the gazes of many people.

“Holy crap, what kind of pet is that?”

“A dung beetle?”

“Are you stupid? Can a dung beetle look like that? Those legs are golden!”

“I’ve never seen it, but it’s definitely not ordinary.”

“Wait, that person... is Lin Feng?!”

“Lin Feng? Which Lin Feng?”

“The one who cleared the Ancient Trial Tower! The S-Rank Explorer!”

“Holy crap, he’s so young?!”

Discussions broke out everywhere as gazes focused on him like spotlights.

Lin Feng ignored them and walked straight to the teleportation window.

It was still the same window, and the same staff member.

But this time, when the staff member saw him, they stood up abruptly.

“Mr. Lin!”

Their voice was trembling.

Lin Feng nodded.

“The Orléans Instance—can I enter now?”

“Yes, you can!” The staff member quickly operated the computer. “The Orléans Instance is currently in a state of mutation, and the entrance is open separately. Do you want to go in now?”

“Now.”

“Alright! The teleportation fee is completely waived; the Association will cover it for you. The teleportation array is at Number 8, I’ll take you there!”

The staff member eagerly led the way in front.

Lin Feng followed him through the hall and arrived at Teleportation Array No. 8.

It was a massive metal door with complex energy circuits embedded in the frame.

Inside the door was a swirling grey-white screen of light.

【Orléans Instance Entrance】

【Current Status: Mutating】

【Recommended Entry Rank: Rank 45 or above】

【Danger Rating: S-Rank】

【Number of Missing Persons: 15】

The staff member swallowed hard.

“Mr. Lin, please... be careful.”

Lin Feng nodded and stepped into the light screen.

...

His vision blurred for a moment.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already standing under a grey, hazy sky.

The air was damp, carrying a rotten stench.

The surroundings were a wilderness, overgrown with weeds and littered with rubble.

In the distance, several dead old trees could be seen, their branches reaching toward the sky like ghost hands.

【Orléans Instance · Mutated Area】

【Current Coordinates: Entrance Area】

【Weather: Overcast】

【Description: This area has undergone an unknown mutation; the original map is invalid. Please explore with caution.】

Lin Feng looked around.

It was indeed different from what the data said.

The Orléans Instance described in the data was a medieval-style town.

There were streets, houses, squares, and churches.

But now, there was nothing.

Only a vast wilderness.

“It seems the mutation is quite thorough.”

Lin Feng took out the dragon slaying sword from his wanxiang ring.

The pitch-black blade and golden patterns emitted a faint pressure.

Seeing him take out the sword, Xiao Jin also became excited.

“Squeak, squeak!”

It jumped down from Lin Feng’s shoulder and crawled around on the ground.

Its six golden legs moved rapidly, like a miniature reconnaissance vehicle.

“Found something?”

Lin Feng asked.

Xiao Jin stopped and pointed in one direction with its antennae.

“Squeak, squeak!”

“That way?”

Lin Feng walked in that direction.

After walking for about five minutes, a rustling sound came from ahead.

Lin Feng stopped in his tracks and squinted his eyes to look.

Something was moving in the grass.

It was a... dog?

No, it wasn’t a dog.

It was a completely rotting dog, its fur falling off to reveal the blackened muscle underneath.

There were no eyeballs in its sockets, only two clumps of eerie green fire.

Its mouth was open, and saliva dripped down, corroding the weeds on the ground.

【Rotting Corpse Dog (Elite)】

【Rank: 42】

【health points: 85,000】

【attack power: 4,200–4,600 (includes Corrosive Poison)】

【Defense: 2,800】

【Skills: Bite, Corrosive Poison Spray, Death Charge】

【Description: A canine corpse corrupted by dark energy. It moves agilely, and its attacks carry Corrosive Poison.】

The Rotting Corpse Dog also discovered Lin Feng.

It raised its head and 'looked' at Lin Feng with those two clumps of green fire.

And then—

“Woof!”

With a hoarse roar, it pounced!

Its speed was startling!

Lin Feng stood in place, unmoving.

Just as the Rotting Corpse Dog pounced in front of him, less than three meters away—

He raised his hand and swung his sword.

A streak of pitch-black Sword Qi shot out from the dragon slaying sword!

Wherever the Sword Qi passed, the air itself distorted!

Puchi!!!

The Rotting Corpse Dog was split in half by the Sword Qi!

Dark green blood splattered all over the ground!

【Damage Dealt: 8,550 (Spell Attack) + 5,000 (Weapon Attack) × Skill Multiplier ≈ 18,500, Critical Hit! Actual Damage: 37,000】

【Killed Rotting Corpse Dog, experience points +5,000】

An instant kill.

Lin Feng retracted his sword and continued walking forward.

Xiao Jin ran over, rummaged through the pile of minced meat, and picked up a green crystal in its mouth.

【Rotting Corpse Dog Core (Blue) ×1】

It ran back to Lin Feng’s feet and dropped the crystal.

“Squeak, squeak!”

Lin Feng picked up the crystal and examined it.

【Rotting Corpse Dog Core (Blue)】

【Effect: Can be used to refine poison or dark-attribute equipment.】

“Keep it.”

He tossed the crystal into the wanxiang ring.

Xiao Jin contentedly continued to lead the way.

...

Next, the number of monsters along the way increased.

Rotting Corpse Dogs appeared in packs.

Rotting Corpse Birds circled in the sky.

Rotting Corpse Snakes slithered through the grass.

There were also some rotting creatures that he couldn't name.

Their Ranks were all between 40 and 45; most were Elite-Rank, with the occasional Boss-Rank.

But Lin Feng didn't even give them a second look.

If one came, he killed one.

If a group came, he killed the group.

With the dragon slaying sword in hand, he was like a mobile meat grinder.

The pitch-black Sword Qi swept across, and those monsters were torn apart like paper.

【Killed Rotting Corpse Dog ×7, experience points +35,000】

【Killed Rotting Corpse Bird ×5, experience points +25,000】

【Killed Rotting Corpse Snake ×3, experience points +15,000】

【Killed Rotting Corpse Giant Lizard (Boss), experience points +30,000】

His experience bar shot up rapidly.

Xiao Jin followed behind him, responsible for picking up the drops.

Rotting Corpse Dog Cores, Rotting Corpse Bird Feathers, Rotting Corpse Snake Fangs, Rotting Corpse Giant Lizard Scales...

It was having a great time picking things up.

“Squeak, squeak, squeak!”

It squeaked as it picked things up, as if it were singing.

Just like that, the man and the insect pushed across the wilderness for twenty minutes.

...

Suddenly, Xiao Jin stopped.

It raised its head and pointed ahead with its antennae.

“Squeak, squeak!”

There was a hint of vigilance in its cry.

Lin Feng looked in the direction it was pointing.

Ahead, a... castle appeared?

It was a typical Gothic building with high spires, arched windows, and mottled walls.

It sat in the middle of the wilderness, with no other buildings around it.

It was gloomy and eerie.

The grey clouds in the sky formed a vortex above the castle.

It was as if something was calling from deep within the castle.

【Discovered Unknown Building】

【Status: Unexplored】

【Description: This building does not exist in the original Dungeon data; it is suspected to have been generated after the mutation.】

Lin Feng squinted his eyes.

A castle not mentioned in the data?

Interesting.

He was just about to approach when suddenly—

“Whoosh, whoosh—”

The sound of wings flapping came from the direction of the castle!

Immediately after, countless black dots surged out from the castle’s windows, spires, and roof!

They were bats!

They were densely packed, covering the sky and blotting out the sun!

Each one was the size of a washbasin, pitch-black all over, with blood-red eyes.

They gathered together, forming a black cloud that obscured the sky!

【Vampiric Demon Bat (Elite) × N】

【Rank: 43】

【health points: 60,000】

【attack power: 3,800–4,200 (Life-steal)】

【Defense: 2,000】

【Skills: Life-steal, Ultrasonic Attack, Blood Mist】

【Description: Demon bats that appeared after the mutation. They live on blood and appear in swarms, making them extremely difficult to deal with.】

There were at least a thousand of them!

They circled above the castle, letting out ear-piercing screeches.

The sound was like a baby’s cry, yet also like metal scraping together.

It made one’s scalp tingle.

Lin Feng stood in the distance, looking at that black cloud.

Xiao Jin hid behind him, poking out half its head.

“Squeak...”

There was a trace of fear in its cry.

Lin Feng smiled.

“What are you afraid of? They’re just bats.”

He took out a Medicinal Pill from the wanxiang ring—a holy light pill.

He tossed it into his mouth.

【Consumed holy light pill: For 30 minutes, damage to undead-type monsters +50%, Dark Resistance +50%.】

Then, he raised his hand.

In his palm, golden light began to converge.

“Illumination Spell.”

A fist-sized ball of light rose from his palm.

The ball of light rose higher and higher, growing larger and larger.

From the size of a fist, it grew to the size of a basketball, and then to the size of a millstone...

Finally, it transformed into a massive golden sphere of light, ten meters in diameter!

It suspended itself a hundred meters in the air!

Like a miniature sun!

The radiance illuminated the entire wilderness!

When the bats were hit by the intense light, they let out terrified screams!

They retreated frantically, wanting to hide in the castle’s shadows!

But it was too late.

This was exactly the effect Lin Feng wanted.

“Come on.”

He gripped the dragon slaying sword and walked toward the castle.

Behind him, that golden sun slowly rotated.

Wherever the light passed, the darkness dissipated.

The bats had nowhere to hide and could only be exposed in the broad daylight.

They were terrified, they were angry, they were crazed!

And then—

“Whoosh!”

That black cloud pounced toward Lin Feng!

Over a thousand Vampiric Demon Bats were like a black tide!

Lin Feng stood in front of the tide, holding his black sword with a smile on his face.

“That’s more like it.”

He raised his hand and swung his sword.

Pitch-black Sword Qi swept out!

Puchi, puchi, puchi, puchi, puchi!!!

The dozens of bats charging at the front were instantly sliced into fragments!

Black blood fell like rain!

【Killed Vampiric Demon Bat ×37, experience points +185,000】

But the bats behind them weren't afraid at all!

They threw themselves forward in successive waves, continuing their charge!

Instead of retreating, Lin Feng advanced, charging into the black cloud!

The dragon slaying sword danced, and Sword Qi crisscrossed!

With every strike, over a dozen bats were killed!

The pitch-black sword light wove through the black cloud!

Like a swimming dragon!

【Killed Vampiric Demon Bat ×58, experience points +290,000】

【Killed Vampiric Demon Bat ×72, experience points +360,000】

【Killed Vampiric Demon Bat ×94, experience points +470,000】

His experience bar rose crazily!

Xiao Jin hid in the distance, poking its head out to watch.

It watched the sword light flashing continuously within the black cloud and the bats falling like rain.

Its small eyes were filled with admiration.

“Squeak, squeak!”

It was cheering for Lin Feng.

Lin Feng couldn't hear it.

He was in the middle of a killing spree.

In less than ten minutes, more than half of the thousand-plus bats had been killed by him!

The remaining ones finally became afraid.

They let out terrified screeches and scattered in all directions!

Some flew back to the castle, some charged into the distance, and some burrowed directly underground.

Lin Feng didn't give chase.

He landed on the ground and retracted his sword.

He looked around.

The ground was covered with the corpses of bats.

The black blood had stained the earth black.

【Total Vampiric Demon Bats Killed: 876】

【experience points Gained: 4,380,000】

【Rank Up! Rank 41!】

A golden light flashed!

【All Attributes +3, Free Attribute Points +20】

【Current Rank: Rank 41】

【spirit: 1,740】

【Spell Attack: 8,700】

【health points: 2,030,000/2,030,000】

【mana: 1,730,000/1,730,000】

“I’m Rank 41 now.”

Lin Feng nodded with satisfaction.

He looked toward the castle.

The castle’s main gate was half-ajar.

Inside the gate was pitch black.

But in that darkness, something was vaguely calling to him.

“What... is inside?”

Lin Feng gripped the dragon slaying sword and walked toward the castle.

Behind him, that golden sun slowly descended.

The light gradually dimmed.

Darkness once again enveloped the area.