Free Web NovelChapter 39: Chapter 34: Burrower Monster Sneak Attack
In a cramped room, a balding middle-aged man spoke in a low voice.
"Ever since I was a kid, the one thing I’ve always hated most is people who don’t follow the rules."
"Back in the day, if I saw a classmate or colleague cheating on an exam or copying homework, I was always the first one to report them!"
"I have a great deal of respect for the rules. I always keep a copy of the *Special Management Regulations*, drafted by the Committee, right by my bed. Everything must be done in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations, whether it’s production or business. That’s my personal code."
Prosecutor Songx Shiyi, who sat opposite him, wore a strange expression.
"Then, Jia Xiaokai, why are you here?"
"I was framed! It was a misunderstanding, a setup..."
Songx Shiyi cut him off. "Let’s get down to business."
"We all know that individuals from a Low Realm Dimension cannot break through the dimensional barrier on their own. They require the cooperation of a player."
"You claim you didn’t use any means to remotely control her. So how did that woman, Yuyao of the East Sea Clan, enter the real world? That’s a tribe under your control."
"I have no idea."
Jia Xiaokai spread his hands. "You can’t just frame a good man, can you? Sure, I’ve made a few small mistakes... but I’ve been serving my sentence for two years now without a single violation."
"Jia Xiaokai, you were the first person ever to organize beings from a Low Realm Dimension into a cross-dimensional prostitution ring."
Songx Shiyi’s gaze sharpened. "And while you weren’t the first to use Believers from a Low Realm Dimension and ordinary people to breed mutant species, you have the highest number of recorded offenses in history."
"You say you respect the rules. Do you even believe that yourself?"
The middle-aged Jia Xiaokai smoothed his thinning hair. There wasn’t a trace of embarrassment on his face; instead, he broke into a smile. "Prosecutor Songx, let’s let bygones be bygones. Ever since you arrested me, I’ve been on my best behavior, peacefully managing my Faith in the Crawling Area. You can check all of this in the Divine Hall of the Gods."
"Oh, right! It must have been the Artifacts in my room. That member of the East Sea Clan must have used an Artifact to cross over. That has to be it. It’s the only possibility."
Songx Shiyi said sternly, "I hope you will cooperate with the Committee’s investigation and tell the truth. Otherwise, once we uncover the facts, your crimes will be compounded, and your prison sentence will be extended. I suggest you think carefully about your next move."
After the young female prosecutor left, the small room fell back into darkness, with only the faint glow of a computer monitor flickering on the desk.
Jia Xiaokai’s expression turned grim.
’My trump card is still hidden. Sooner or later, I’ll soar to the top.’
"Once I get into the Flying District, what’s the Committee going to do? They’re just a bunch of pathetic cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong."
"Songx Shiyi, didn’t you use to be in a girl group? When the time comes, I’ll make you wear a leotard in front of me and sing ’Hubby Hubby I Love You’ while doing one of those public square dances!"
「 」
Luh Yao opened the takeout container, took out the ginger-duck noodles, and slowly ate them with a side of pickled radish and plum juice.
After Zhou Qiang moved out, the apartment returned to its usual quiet.
He could finally give his full attention back to the simulator.
Isabel, of course, had returned to the Pixel World.
She was Luh Yao’s most important strategic weapon. The Garlic Tribe’s explosive growth could be directly attributed to Isabel’s extraordinary personal abilities.
Normally, for a tribe to steadily develop its civilization and grow its population, it required considerable Patience, constant attention, and care.
The progress of a civilization required long-term accumulation before it could begin its upward spiral.
Luh Yao had a nagging feeling that, under normal circumstances, Divine Players in the safe zone couldn’t have an Apostle.
There were no such options in the list of Miracles. Isabel felt more like an inheritance Luh Yao had received from the Forest God.
He figured that to create an Apostle on his own, he would probably have to leave the safe zone, build a wonder, and enter the Crawling Area before the option even became available.
Luh Yao glanced at the top-right corner.
Population: 11,371 Faith: 11,094
Thanks to the efforts of the Ghost City Saniluo, these numbers were still climbing. Compared to waiting for the living to reproduce, finding Ghost Souls left behind by the dead was a much faster way to grow the population.
Under Mayor Chapman’s vigorous leadership, Commander Alex and his soldiers found one wandering Ghost Soul after another by the sea. Most of them were willing to join Saniluo to receive the God’s protection.
Saniluo’s efforts to recruit Ghost Souls had already extended into the desert.
Since Isabel had gone on a killing spree in the desert, slaughtering the Sand Worms until they no longer dared to show themselves, the threat level in that region had been drastically reduced.
By repeatedly slaughtering groups of Sand Worms, Isabel also triggered her [Forest Sword] Trait. Two more [Striped Lynx] were created, and they ran off into the forest to serve as the Garlic Tribe’s unseen guardians.
The only drawback was that for a city as large as Saniluo City, there were no decent Sacrificial Offerings to be found.
Mayor Chapman had explained why.
All the city’s precious treasures had been dedicated to the Forest God. After the God’s fall, they all vanished. Later, the Prayer God also discovered that there were no Sacrificial Offerings here. This, combined with Saniluo City’s refusal to submit, brought about the punishment of a Totem Curse.
Luh Yao had asked Isabel, "You were once an Apostle of the Forest God, so why does no one in Saniluo City know who you are?"
"My lord, Apostles spend long periods traveling abroad. Most do not remain stationed in one place, so the Believers’ knowledge of them is quite limited."
Recalling that even Xiaohuo, a Divine Hall Attendant, didn’t recognize Isabel, this seemed plausible.
Luh Yao decided not to press the matter further.
Just as Luh Yao was closely monitoring the situation in Saniluo, trouble erupted over at the Garlic Tribe.
In the mountains to the west, which had been devastated by the Earthquake, some [Burrower Monsters] suddenly appeared.
To buy the Garlic Tribe time to rally its people, two Heroic Headhunters and Yuzou led five Hunters to lure the Burrower Monsters in another direction. But because they were heavily outnumbered, the Heroic Headhunters and four of the Hunters were killed in battle. Only an injured Yuzou survived.
The news was so sudden it caught Luh Yao completely off guard. His shock quickly turned to anger.
’I leave you alone, and this is how you repay me? You think you can just walk all over me?’
—Isabel, slaughter those Burrower Monsters. Make them a funeral offering for our fallen Headhunters.
Upon receiving the command, the Apostle rushed into the mountains.
Soon, the words [In Combat] appeared above Isabel’s head.
Luh Yao clicked to enter the battle screen.
In the battle scene, the Burrower Monsters were bare-chested, humanoid creatures wearing Stone Masks. They wielded Stone Spears, their bodies were covered in thick fur, and the five of them ranged from LV1 to LV5.
A Hero without an assigned squad of soldiers would indeed have a difficult time confronting monsters on this scale.
Luh Yao glanced at the stats panel of the highest-level Burrower Monster.
...
[Burrower Monster LV5]
Life Value: 102/102
Mana Value: 22/22
Damage: 6
Defense: 4
Speed: 4
[Strong Lv2]
Life Value is higher than normal, allowing it to maintain vigorous fighting spirit for an extended period.
...
To Isabel, any number of Burrower Monsters were no more than insects. They charged desperately, but they couldn’t even scratch Isabel’s defense, and their thrown Stone Spears all resulted in a "Miss."
Isabel carved a path of cold-blooded slaughter. After wiping out two groups of Burrower Monsters, she finally found the monsters’ main camp. Their lair was on a mountain, where ten more were gathered, led by a [Mutated Burrowing Monster].
...
[Mutated Burrowing Monster LV10]
Life Value: 219/219
Mana Value: 51/51
Damage: 8
Defense: 6
Speed: 6
[Strong Lv5]
Life Value is higher than normal, allowing it to maintain vigorous fighting spirit for an extended period.
[Heavy Strike LV1]
Has a chance to deal additional damage when attacking.
...
There were also little people from the Salt Pool Tribe skulking around the Burrower Monster’s lair.
When these little people saw Isabel arrive, they scrambled to run outside in a panic.
Luh Yao frowned.
’These shit-stirrers again. They’re involved in everything.’
’It was hard to believe the Salt Pool Tribe had nothing to do with the Burrower Monsters’ sudden raid on the Garlic Tribe.’
Faced with Isabel, the [Mutated Burrowing Monster] actually turned tail and ran, fleeing alongside the people from the Salt Pool Tribe without a shred of a leader’s dignity.
’You offended a God and think you can run?’
Luh Yao directly summoned a bolt of lightning, knocking 40 points off the [Mutated Burrowing Monster]’s health. The shock momentarily slowed the monster’s escape, allowing Isabel to catch up to it instantly.
After summoning her Holy Sword, Isabel completely overwhelmed the Mutated Burrowing Monster. Under a barrage of stabs, slashes, and blasts of green light, the Burrower Monster leader’s health bar emptied, and the word [Deceased] appeared over its head as it fell to the ground.
Isabel then proceeded to annihilate the remaining Burrower Monsters.
Perhaps due to their low intelligence, the lesser Burrower Monsters were unafraid of death, charging forward one after another even though they were all easily cut down by Isabel.
After the battle, Isabel stood leaning on her sword. Specks of green light began to rise from the corpses on the ground, gradually coalescing into a small animal.
...
[Off-Road Rabbit LV5][Isabelle Creation]
Life Value: 75/75
Mana Value: 25/25
Damage: 2
Defense: 2
Speed: 10
[Off-Road LV5]
Can run at high speed for long periods to evade enemies.
[Forest Element LV1]
A Forest Elemental Creature that contributes to the rapid growth of the forest. All of its Attributes are boosted while in a forest. The effect depends on its ability level and Life Value.
...
The Off-Road Rabbit’s Attributes couldn’t be called outstanding, but they were better than nothing.
"My lord."
Isabel said, "It can serve as a messenger, relaying information between tribes."
Luh Yao wasn’t focused on the rabbit, however.
He typed into the dialogue box.
—Ask the Wandering Soul why the Burrower Monsters attacked the Garlic Tribe and who was pulling the strings.
