CHAPTER 235: CHAPTER 235 JUST A LUCKY GUY

EDITOR: DRAGON BOAT TRANSLATION

The monster appeared quickly; less than a second passed between the vortex forming and the green-skinned creature’s appearance.

However, Ren Suo, who had anticipated this, was calm and collected—Li Dan’s "Insight into the Mortal World" and the super-evolution "Evolution of the Cat" both endowed him with reaction speed surpassing that of ordinary people.

He immediately stopped healing. An invisible ’Clothing’ materialized on him, and he kicked out, sending the green-skinned creature flying. He quickly switched the "Seeker of the Dao Correction Hat" in his item slots for the "Goddess Jade Pendant," and "Spell Healing" to "Combat Basics." After advancing to a Level 4 Player, Ren Suo’s ability and item slots had both increased to two, but it still wasn’t enough. However, switching skills in the reserve slots took a bit of time, so Ren Suo decided to engage it directly and charged straight into a scuffle with the green-skinned monster!

His "Magic: Garment" was an equipped ability, meaning he could use it with 100% proficiency without any hindrance. Dealing with this green-skinned monster, which had about the same offensive power as a human, was child’s play—the creature’s counterattacks couldn’t even scratch his clothing! Furthermore, more green-skinned creatures were appearing one after another, causing some chaos at the scene, so Ren Suo’s actions didn’t stand out much. Consequently, nobody noticed when he cornered the green-skinned monster without finishing it off. Besides, he couldn’t have killed it anyway—he didn’t know any lethal attack techniques.

"Just a few more seconds, and once I’ve switched equipment—"

Ren Suo’s calculations were running at full speed when, amidst the back-and-forth with the green-skinned monster, a hand suddenly reached from behind him and gently patted the creature’s arm.

The green-skinned creature’s arm snapped instantly, and dark red blood splattered all over Ren Suo’s face. Before he could react, Dong Chengling rushed over to pursue it, striking its chest with her palm—

And then the green-skinned monster burst into pieces.

It was as if it had been hit by a Wolf Fang Club, its body splitting open like a shattered watermelon. Its throat managed only a horribly piercing scream before it collapsed as a corpse on the ground, its body parts scattered and rolled everywhere—Ren Suo even saw some intestines fly out. A second later, Ren Suo felt the blood in his body suddenly surge; even the blood soaking his shirt was forcibly expelled, turning into black smoke and vanishing. The remains on the ground also disappeared, as if burned away.

"Are you alright?" Dong Chengling turned around and asked Ren Suo.

"Yeah... I’m fine..." Ren Suo couldn’t very well tell Dong Chengling, ’You stole my kill,’ so he quickly turned to see if there were any more monsters left in the hall.

Clearly, there were none. Faced with these sudden and ferocious creatures, the Yangtze River Cultivators’ first instinct was ’kill on sight, no questions asked,’ and not a single one had been spared. Ren Suo could only curse his luck. Who could have anticipated that these ’bonus-like’ creatures would appear so quickly? If I had known, I would have definitely equipped "Combat Basics" and "Goddess Jade Pendant" to secure the kills.

He sighed quietly and moved closer to Dong Chengling, grasping her shoulder to examine her closely, and asked with concern, "How do you feel now? Are you alright?"

Dong Chengling blinked several times, her eyes fluttering, and she lowered her gaze slightly, murmuring softly, "I’m okay."

"Really okay?" Ren Suo was surprised. He remembered the Federal Watcher mentioning that Mysterious Country Cultivators found that killing the creatures appearing after a Secret Realm’s purification could increase the killer’s strength—akin to an ’Experience Points’ supplement.

"Really, I’m okay," Dong Chengling affirmed with a nod.

"Do you feel anything special?" Ren Suo asked earnestly. "Like, for instance... um... increased body temperature? Faster heartbeat or something?"

Ren Suo, who had never slain such creatures, could only guess. Dong Chengling, still looking down, finally gave a small nod after a while. "...Yeah."

Perhaps the Experience Points from such minor creatures are too insignificant for a Second Stage Cultivator to notice... Ren Suo speculated internally.

Due to the sudden appearance of the green-skinned creatures, the Secret Realm’s danger level increased. The Yangtze River Cultivators, disregarding any protective measures, ordered everyone to leave immediately.

Ren Suo glanced at the dilapidated Monastery and the wasteland near the entrance—the place where ’his character’ once fought.

This is my first time setting foot on a ’battlefield from the game.’

After leaving the Secret Realm, Gu Yueyan ran up with tear-streaked cheeks and embraced Dong Chengling, while Li Dan called Ren Suo over to meet a... peculiar group of people.

"Hello, Level 2 Researcher Ren Suo," greeted a young woman with spirited short hair, extending her hand to him.

His Qi Cyclone throbbed with a fearful premonition, making it clear to Ren Suo that the person before him was at least a Second Stage Cultivator; the familiar stirring in his heart also indicated that she was an Awakener. She was clad in Black Body Armor, suggesting she might be from the countermeasure system. Ren Suo didn’t recall anyone like her from the Lianjiang Countermeasure System, but he shook her hand and said, "Hello, you are...?"

"I’m Nan Xi, leader of the ’Ren Xian Special Task Force’," she said. "To be precise, the ’Ren Naiser Fairy Palace Special Task Force’."

Nan Xi glanced at the Secret Realm, which looked like ’white cotton candy,’ and smiled. "Maybe we’ll have to change the name again."

Ren Suo hadn’t expected to encounter someone from the special task force here. He grew a bit nervous and stammered, "Then, what do you need me for...?"

"You haven’t forgotten that you’re a Special Consultant for our task force, have you?" Nan Xi said with a smile.

Come to think of it, I almost forgot, Ren Suo thought. Even though I still get paid, I haven’t really done much work. "No, but you rarely need our help."

"If we could uncover the truth simply by thinking about it, what would be the point of our task force?" said a young man behind Nan Xi.

"I used to think the same," Nan Xi added. "However, I heard that Researcher Ren, based on scant information, made bold speculations about the Secret Realm’s current situation and development. He was almost correct. Perhaps we need to change some of our perceptions."

Ren Suo broke into a cold sweat. Thank goodness they just think I have a vivid imagination. Luckily, I can come up with plenty of excuses to justify my claims, or it would be hard to fool them.

Suddenly, Nan Xi asked, "Are you interested in joining the task force? I mean, as a formal member."

Ren Suo quickly shook his head. "No, I’m quite satisfied with my current life."

What a joke! Joining the task force means being under constant observation. What if I let slip something during a nap? That would be like walking right into a trap.

"That’s a pity," Nan Xi said, her tone carrying little regret. "You saw a person named ’Magician’ in there, right? What do you think of him?"

Ren Suo replied, "By the time I got there, he was almost dead."

Nan Xi stated, "Those at the threshold of life and death are the most authentic."

Since Leader Nan Xi insisted, Ren Suo pondered for a moment, then spoke earnestly, "I believe he was a person who faced life and death head-on, someone who forsook low-level pleasures, a person of great wisdom and bravery, possessing a noble faith and a great sense of responsibility..."

"Mm-hmm, very good, very good," Nan Xi said. "Thank you for your effort. We’ll have plenty of opportunities for cooperation in the future."

After Ren Suo left, Li Dan asked Nan Xi, "What do you think?"

"Just a lucky guy who happened to guess a few things right," Nan Xi glanced at him. "His resume is pretty impressive, but as for talent... I really can’t see it.

"But luck is also a kind of talent. Forget about key training; keeping him in this relaxed researcher position is just right. Yu Kuangtu’s judgment is sometimes quite good."

Ren Suo went back to find Gu Yueyan and Dong Chengling. Gu Yueyan asked, "Can we go back now?"

"We’ll probably need to undergo a quarantine check first," Ren Suo said. "Who knows if there are any new types of bacteria or something in the Secret Realm. After that, I guess we’ll be done here."

Ren Suo looked at Dong Chengling and said, "Thrilling, but ultimately safe, right?"

Then he looked at Gu Yueyan and asked, "By the way, can you eat durian?"