Chapter 63

During the day, Blood Helmet City was like a lazy, sunbathing venomous snake. When someone thought this snake had no deterrent and started to act rashly, it would suddenly open its blood-red mouth and plunge its sharp fangs into the person's body.

In just half a day, the number of candidates and non-candidates who entered the city to participate in the adventurer's examination had decreased by a quarter, with at least twenty-seven people losing their eligibility to continue. Among these, the lucky ones were captured by the patrol teams and had to hand over all their equipment and wealth, but at least they kept their lives; the extremely unlucky ones ended up in new graves in the乱葬岗 outside the city.

Most of these candidates who lost their eligibility did not even have the qualification certificate, and only a few had obtained it. As for those who passed the entrance exam, not a single one was lost.

Xu Dong quietly lay in wait. Throughout the day, his only preparation was to familiarize himself with the locations of various inns within the city, their surroundings, and the candidates staying there.

Using this time, he carefully planned his strategy. Finally, at dusk, he quietly approached a location where a candidate he remembered well was staying. This candidate was a girl, and the two had met at the Broken Hand yesterday. Yes, her name was Prayer.

Xu Dong's original intention was not to target this carefree girl to seize her qualification certificate.

Not only Xu Dong was smart; others could also obtain the same information from the patrol soldiers. Given her personality, she was unlikely to do such a thing, not because of a lack of ability, but because she had not realized she should. Thus, she became a one-star Awakened who had passed the entrance exam and whose location was known.

Picking the softest persimmon to start with is an age-old principle.

For this reason, Xu Dong believed she would encounter trouble.

After nightfall, Blood Helmet City was like a wild beast waking from its slumber, exuding a great terror!

The patrol teams had stopped patrolling, and the empty streets were desolate, like a dead zone. After the events of the day, most people knew that the Blood Helmet City authorities would not allow them to act recklessly. This meant that although there were no patrol teams on the streets, there were even more dangerous entities lurking in the shadows.

Xu Dong lay on a rooftop, his large cloak covering his head. Unless someone approached, it was hard to spot him. He had been waiting patiently for almost two hours. Across from him was the courtyard where Prayer lived. He was not wrong; it was not an inn but a courtyard.

For some reason, this girl preferred to spend twice the price to rent a room in a civilian house rather than stay in an inn. This unremarkable house was located on the other side of East Street, in a very quiet environment, and even with a determined search, it would take considerable effort to find. Of course, if Xu Dong could find it, others could too. In just two hours, more than seven hooded figures had wandered by.

Some were unwilling to get involved and left early; others thought the more chaotic the situation, the better for fishing, so they found a hidden spot to wait for nightfall.

In terms of patience, Xu Dong was confident he could outlast anyone.

Night fell, and candles were lit. A graceful figure appeared at the window, quietly enjoying her dinner. Her movements were gentle and elegant, a stark contrast to her impulsive and passionate demeanor during the day. At this moment, she seemed more like a well-bred lady.

At this moment, two sharp whistles, like those of owls, suddenly echoed in the darkness. The person inside turned her head curiously and opened the window.

But at this moment, a figure wrapped in a gray robe suddenly appeared, his hands crossing and spinning, wielding a deadly cold light. He charged straight at Prayer, taking her by surprise, and with all his might, each rotation of his hands produced a fierce sound, crackling and popping, instantly enveloping Prayer's upper body in a dazzling light, like a tree of fire and silver flowers.

This was a skill called "Fire Tree Silver Flowers," which, when it touched an enemy, would cause a terrifying damage as if the enemy were being cut into a thousand pieces!

Xu Dong's eyes widened. This person's explosive power was immense! Even he would have to retreat in the face of such an attack.

In the next second, an exaggeratedly large sword suddenly appeared, its blade and hilt almost as tall as a person, giving the impression of a mountain's weight. Yet, it was held by a delicate hand. The large sword was swung with ease, as if it were an extension of the arm!

The large sword first shattered the window, splintering wood and cutting through the window frame and wall, sending chunks of sand and soil flying.

The large sword, which appeared after the initial attack, moved faster and struck first. In the cold light of the blade, a face of disbelief and terror was reflected. The arrogant large sword shattered the attacker's "Fire Tree Silver Flowers" and, with a tearing sound, severed both of his arms. With a splash, the attacker was split in half, his internal organs and blood scattered on the ground, creating a gruesome scene.

The first attacker was dead.

A chorus of gasps rose from the shadows, clearly not expecting a mere one-star Awakened to have such a terrifying one-hit kill capability!

At this moment, a cold voice came from somewhere, "This girl has found a suitable weapon. The weapon resonates with her Blood Flesh Armor, making the heavy large sword as light as a feather, so she can swing it effortlessly. However, each swing consumes a certain amount of Blood Flesh Armor power, and she can only swing the large sword five times before she is exhausted."

The voice was unmasked, and at least those with ill intentions nearby heard it clearly. Xu Dong's expression changed slightly, thinking, "This person is extremely cunning and likely very powerful!"

Prayer's face suddenly changed.

Sure enough, in the next moment, two people emerged from their hiding places, one after the other. The first one held a common steel shield, which he raised like a mad bull, charging straight at Prayer. The second one held a sword, a thrusting sword designed for piercing attacks.

Prayer's temper was particularly fiery. She immediately kicked off the ground and leaped out of the window, raising her sword like a giant hammer and swinging it down with great force. At the same time, a layer of fine luster appeared on the exposed part of her wrist, indicating that her Blood Flesh Armor had been activated.

The large sword, with its blood-red flesh spreading, clearly had the power of the fruit of the divine tree infused into it, making the sword heavy and powerful, and it produced a deep, resonant sound.

In the instant that Prayer's arm tightened and released, it felt as if her muscles had turned into a slingshot, releasing a burst of power!

Bang!

The large sword collided with the shield, and a brilliant spark flashed.

The steel shield was instantly deformed, and the Awakened holding it screamed in pain, flying backward like a cannonball, crashing into a wall of the house and embedding himself in it, the surrounding area covered in cracks.

However, another cold, fierce voice rang out, and in a flash, the second Awakened's figure lunged forward. His right arm, holding the sword, bulged with the blood muscle of the Blood Flesh Armor, and the thrusting sword hummed, making three rapid, thunderous sounds in quick succession. A burst of air exploded as the sword was thrust out.

Air Burst!

One thrust aimed at the throat, one at the eyes, and one at the heart!

Swiftly, swiftly, swiftly!

Prayer's combat experience was far more extensive than expected. Her body contracted and expanded, and her muscles seemed to come alive, breathing deeply. In this critical moment, she dodged the three deadly thrusts in an incredibly strange manner.

The Awakened was enraged and disbelieving. He had put all his strength into the three thrusts, and now, in the gap between his attacks, he was vulnerable.

Buzz! The large sword, which had been used for slashing, was now used to strike. It hit the Awakened's head with a heavy blow, and blood gushed from all his orifices as he flew sideways and landed in a pile of garbage, clearly on the brink of death.

"Already the third strike! After two more strikes, the large sword will become scrap metal and need to be restored to be used again. At that time, won't she be the fish and you the butcher? This girl not only has a qualification certificate but is also extremely wealthy and a rare beauty!"

The cold voice had a peculiar quality, and in just a few words, it stirred the remaining Awakened into a frenzy of desire, making them easily manipulated, like puppets in his hands.

Xu Dong, hidden on the rooftop, also felt a surge of intense emotion. The cold voice seemed to have a strange power, drawing out the evil desires in his heart. His head felt dazed, and he was about to jump down.

At this critical moment, the consciousness bud in his mind swayed, and a cool sensation suddenly washed over him, like a splash of cold water, refreshing his entire body.

Only then did Xu Dong realize, "This person is extremely strange and terrifying, able to manipulate people's minds!"

One by one, more Awakened emerged from the shadows, and in the blink of an eye, three more charged at Prayer. Their eyes were clouded, but a fierce desire burned deep within them.

The three Awakened attacked simultaneously with their most lethal moves!

Prayer did not hold back either and used her full strength.

In an instant, the three Awakened were swept away by the large sword and fell to the ground as corpses. Prayer was not unscathed; her shoulder was pierced, and blood flowed continuously; one of her thighs was torn open, revealing bone. Most importantly, the large sword's blood flesh had dissipated, and the heavy sword fell to the ground, almost slipping from her grasp.

Finally, a gaunt, almost skeletal man appeared like a ghost, cackling, "Little girl, we can have some