163: Chapter 163: It's just killing some monsters, is it really necessary for you to panic?

The gunpowder smoke had yet to dissipate, and waves of heat rolled through the air.

The once majestic Black Wind City had now been reduced to a scorched crater several kilometers in diameter. A pungent smell of ozone, left behind after high concentrations of magic were forcibly detonated, lingered in the air. The rocks on the ground exhibited a strange vitrified crystalline state, with dark red lava flowing under the reflection of the firelight.

"Gulp."

Leona swallowed hard, her knuckles turning white from gripping her staff too tightly. She stiffly turned her neck to look at the man beside her, who was calmly dusting off his trench coat.

This is... collecting some interest?

Wiping an entire city, along with a hundred thousand monsters and a Legendary BOSS, directly off the map—this is called collecting interest?

"Don't just stand there dazing; it's just a basic operation."

Qin Ji casually dispersed the greatsword in his hand, his gaze focusing on the System logs that were frantically scrolling in the upper right of his vision. There, golden numbers were pouring down like a waterfall, so fast they almost formed a single golden line.

[Killed Legendary BOSS "Dark Feather Demon Vulture," triggered Greedy Grasp! Strength +500!]

[Killed elite Night Walkers, triggered Greedy Grasp! Agility +10!]

[Killed Night Walker Leader...]

[Congratulations! Your Strength attribute has reached a major Breakthrough, obtaining a new affix: Power Flies the Brick (Passive)]

"Comfortable."

Qin Ji narrowed his eyes, feeling the surging sense of power within him, like a river flowing backward. This pleasure from the exponential explosion of stats was more intoxicating than the service of any technician at a top-tier club.

...

Meanwhile, in the Holy Temple Empire, at the Sighing Volcano.

This was a hidden map that had never been made public, shrouded year-round in deadly sulfurous toxic gas.

At this moment, by the lava lakeside of the crater, a Soul-stirring battle was unfolding.

"Roar—!!"

A Lava Giant over thirty meters tall let out a heaven-shaking roar, pulling two crimson flame greatswords from the lava and hacking frantically at the ant-sized figure in front of it.

"Damn it, why is this Level 50 Epic BOSS so tough!"

The one dodging was none other than the Holy Temple Empire's number one Mage God, Felix. He was in a pathetic state, his mage robes riddled with burned holes, but the Battle Intent in his eyes grew even higher.

"As long as I grind this BOSS to death, I can get that fire-element semi-Divine Artifact! When that happens, the top spot on the Rank leaderboard will eventually be mine!"

Felix gritted his teeth, his staff waving to create brilliant ice spears that accurately struck the Lava Giant's joints.

Just as the BOSS's health was about to drop below the 10% execution line.

[Server Announcement: Congratulations to Divine Dragon Empire player "Qin Ji" for successfully killing the Legendary BOSS "Dark Feather Demon Vulture." As the first player to kill a Legendary creature on the entire server, rewards: free attribute points +1000, Reputation +50000!]

[Server Announcement: Congratulations to Divine Dragon Empire player "Qin Ji" for achieving the "Man of Ten Thousand Slaughters" achievement, rewards...]

The sudden crimson announcement hung across the center of every player's vision like blood, even thoughtfully providing a close-up shot of Black Wind City turned into ruins.

Felix's hand waving the staff suddenly froze.

Legendary?!

That was a Legendary BOSS that even a hundred-man raid wouldn't dare touch! How could someone solo it at this stage?!

It was in that moment of distraction.

"Boom—!!"

The Lava Giant seized the opening in its target's aggro; that greatsword burning with hellfire crashed down like Mount Tai.

Felix didn't even have time to activate his Ice Block skill before his vision instantly went black.

Even after his corpse turned into white light and he respawned back in the city, that damned name still echoed in his mind.

"Qin Ji!!! Can't you be a bit more low-key with your damn cheats!!!"

...

The former site of Black Wind City, at the edge of the scorched crater.

Qin Ji naturally didn't know how many top experts' mental states had collapsed because of his actions just now. He was crouching on a relatively intact rock, counting the loot in his backpack.

Suddenly.

"Buzz—"

Three extremely obscure auras crept silently out from the shadows behind him like venomous snakes.

There was no nonsense, and not a shred of killing intent was leaked.

From the left, a pitch-black poisoned short blade appeared out of thin air, stabbing directly at the back of Qin Ji's neck;

From the right, several Talismanic Incantations covered in eerie runes ignited spontaneously, turning into several chains that blocked all his paths of retreat;

Directly above, a bolt of lightning, carrying the will to kill, silently struck toward the crown of his head.

This was a sure-kill trap!

The coordination of the three attackers was so seamless that they clearly weren't doing this for the first time.

"Watch out!!"

Leona cried out in alarm; as a fourth class advancement powerhouse, she hadn't even noticed the enemies' existence until the attacks were upon them.

However.

Qin Ji, at the center of the storm, didn't even turn his head.

He simply reached back with one hand casually, like swatting a fly, and his five fingers suddenly clenched in the Void Realm.

"Crack!"

That poisoned short blade, which was guaranteed to crit, was actually caught by him at the edge with his bare hands!

The moment the sharp blade made contact with Qin Ji's skin, it let out a tooth-aching sound of metal twisting, and then it shattered into pieces like a crisp cracker.

[System Prompt: Received a backstab attack from player "Iga Dan," defense check... check passed! Damage: -0 (Forced health reduction)]

"Nani?!"

An unbelievable cry of alarm came from the void.

Qin Ji slowly turned around, a playful arc curling at the corner of his mouth. His deep eyes reflected three black-clad figures gradually revealing themselves.

Matsumoto Meiya, an Elder of the Sakura Country's Yin Ninja Secret Society.

The Great Onmyoji, Abe Saiken.

And the unlucky fellow with the broken blade from just now, Iga Dan.

These three were the famous "Hunter Trio" in his previous life, specializing in ambushing lone experts in the wild with extremely cruel methods.

"Tsk, aren't these the three 'Wealth-Giving Boys' from Sakura Country?"

Qin Ji patted the iron filings off his hands, his gaze scanning back and forth between the three of them. His look wasn't like he was seeing enemies, but rather like he was looking at three walking attribute packs. "What, do you think because I just used my ultimate, I'm in a weakened state and you can come pick up the scraps?"

Matsumoto Meiya's face was dark as he snapped his folding fan shut. "Qin Ji, you slaughtered hundreds of our Sakura Country players; today is your death day! Even if you're number one on the server, during your skill cooldown period, you're just a lamb to the slaughter!"

"Do it! Don't waste words with him!"

Abe Saiken shouted sharply, crushing an earthy-yellow jade pendant in his hand.

[Shikigami: Tsuchigumo]!

The ground roared as a giant spider made of rock burst from the earth, spitting out a sky full of spider silk in an attempt to trap Qin Ji in place.

At the same time, Iga Dan vanished into the shadows again, waiting for a chance to launch a second killing blow.

"Cooldown period? Who told you I have such a thing?"

Qin Ji sighed and pulled an ancient-looking, lusterless green copper block from his backpack.

This was a treasure he had shoplifted from Village Head Wang's house in the Newbie Village. Although it had no attributes, it possessed an extremely unreasonable trait—[All Magic Broken].

"Get down for me."

With a flick of Qin Ji's wrist, the brick-sized green copper block flew out directly, without any flashy light effects.

"Bang!"

A dull thud echoed.

The rock Shikigami that had just crawled out majestically seemed to have its Soul sucked out the moment it was hit by the green copper block; its massive body instantly disintegrated into a pile of rubble.

The green copper block didn't lose momentum, tracing a strange arc in the air and accurately slamming into the forehead of Abe Saiken, who was just about to cast a spell.

"Pa!"

Abe Saiken didn't even let out a scream before he was sent flying like a broken kite, his health bar instantly emptying.

[Killed Legendary player "Abe Saiken," triggered Greedy Grasp! Intelligence +200! Obtained skill book "Shikigami Summoning: Night Parade of a Hundred Demons"!]

"Baka! This is impossible! What kind of Divine Artifact is that?!"

Matsumoto Meiya was scared out of his wits. A piece of scrap copper and iron could insta-kill a Shikigami and a Legendary-Rank Onmyoji? This completely exceeded his understanding of the game!

"Divine Artifact? No, no, no, this is just a physical persuasion device."

Qin Ji took a step forward, his figure instantly vanishing from the spot.

The next second.

A slender and powerful palm emerged without warning from the void, firmly clutching the neck of Matsumoto Meiya, who was about to flee.

"Since you're here, leave your attributes behind before you go."

Qin Ji's voice sounded like a demon's whisper in Matsumoto Meiya's ear.

"No—!!"

With a hair-raising sound of a neck bone snapping, Matsumoto Meiya's body went limp.

As for the remaining Iga Dan?

Qin Ji didn't even spare him a glance, simply throwing a casual punch into the air.

"Boom!!"

The terrifying fist wind directly compressed the air within fifty meters into a visible cannonball; Iga Dan, hiding in the shadows, was directly shaken into a mist of blood by this tyrannical force.

[Killed Legendary player... Obtained Agility +180...]

In less than ten seconds.

Three Legendary experts who struck fear into the hearts of players on the international server were wiped out.

Qin Ji picked up the green copper block from the ground, wiped the blood off on the corner of his clothes, and put it back into his backpack.

Leona, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded.

She had originally thought that after promoting to the fourth class advancement, she could at least stand tall before this man. But now it seemed this guy was simply a monster in human skin!

"Umm... Your Excellency Qin Ji."

Leona spoke cautiously, her tone even more respectful than before. "Prime Minister Kesenluo and Grand Marshal Lorraine Muyuan are dead. After returning to the Royal Capital, how should I explain this to the Noble Council?"

After all, these two were pillars of the kingdom. If it were said they were killed by Qin Ji, it would likely cause national turmoil.

Qin Ji turned around and looked at this newly-minted Queen, a meaningful smile curling at the corners of his mouth:

"Explain? Why do we need to explain?"

He pointed at the distant ruins and then at the corpses at his feet.

"Just say the two of them died together with the leader of the 'Night Walkers,' the true culprit behind the assassination of the late King, while covering the Queen's retreat. As for these two..." Qin Ji kicked Matsumoto Meiya's corpse. "This is the evidence of foreign forces colluding with monsters."

"This is called... dying a worthy death."

Leona was stunned for a moment, and then a light of realization flashed in her eyes.

Ruthless.

Truly too ruthless.

Not only did he kill them and take their equipment, but he also wanted to squeeze out every last bit of their remaining value to stabilize royal power and incite the people's hatred toward foreign enemies.

This man must never be made an enemy.

...

The setting sun was like blood, painting the scorched battlefield with a layer of tragic and beautiful crimson.

Qin Ji was in no hurry to leave; instead, he stood alone at the edge of the deep crater. He pulled a cigarette from his backpack, lit it, and took a deep drag, the swirling smoke blurring his slightly lazy face.

At his feet were three twisted and deformed player corpses, along with the ruins of that once-arrogant demon city that now only had broken walls left.

The wind picked up the embers on the ground, whirling them high into the air as if singing a final elegy for this group of overconfident challengers. Qin Ji flicked the cigarette ash, his pitch-black eyes calmly watching the approaching night on the distant horizon through the curling blue smoke, like a deity sitting atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, waiting for the next batch of sacrifices who didn't know the meaning of death.