26. Mo Xiao Injured
“What is this thing? So disgusting.”
Su Tang couldn’t help frowning. As the meat ball rolled on the ground, growing larger and larger, she manipulated her spiritual power and rushed toward the thing’s direction.
The black mist dissipated, and the full appearance of that thing surfaced before everyone’s eyes.
As it turned out, the surface of that meat-ball-like creature wasn’t smooth and flat. It was covered with tiny things like octopus suckers. As it rolled, it was those sucker-like things that stuck to the gravel and bones of unknown creatures on the ground. Looking closely, one could even see animal corpses stuck to its surface.
So it was just a massive carrion combiner.
“Captain Mo, this species is appearing for the first time. Should we report it to the White Tower?”
“That will have to wait until we get back.”
“Concentrate fire, attack the core position in its center.”
Mo Xiao’s voice entered the ears of everyone on the battlefield. The Sentinels aimed the energy guns in their hands at the core position in the middle of that mass of carrion. Energy converged and shot out together, followed by sizzling sounds coming from there, like the sound of meat being roasted by intense fire.
Su Tang subconsciously covered her mask tighter. Luckily she had this thing; one could imagine the smell outside right now was definitely not pleasant.
Feeling the attack, the thing stopped its rolling motion toward them. The Silver Wolf charged over, tough sharp claws lunging straight at that black carrion. With a splurt, the claws pierced in, and then black liquid surged out from that mass of carrion, scrambling to escape.
That thing seemed to feel pain, letting out a muffled roar. Then, massive amounts of blood-red mist surged frantically out of the opening torn by the Silver Wolf.
The mist quickly scattered. Su Tang discovered that the Sentinels’ spiritual entities seemed very afraid of that stuff. Even the Silver Wolf immediately withdrew to Mo Xiao’s side.
“Bad news, this thing can follow spiritual threads to pollute the spiritual consciousness sea.”
“Guide Su, quickly withdraw your spiritual power. This mist will swallow your spiritual power.”
The Sentinels’ spiritual entities were the first to be affected. To avoid causing a greater rise in pollution values, everyone had to withdraw their spiritual entities back into their consciousness seas.
Hearing Kelai’s warning, Su Tang just wanted to withdraw her released spiritual power when, midway through the retrieval, she sensed another fluctuation more heart-palpitating than this mass of carrion.
Su Tang manipulated her spiritual power to probe that spot. Before touching the main body, a stinging pain attacked her.
“Careful!”
Almost instinctively, Mo Xiao pulled her behind him. The Silver Wolf stood in front of the two, releasing spiritual power to bounce back that probing force.
“Captain Mo, there’s another one there.”
Su Tang broke out in a cold sweat. The feeling just now was truly too terrifying. That force came directly for her spiritual consciousness sea. If not for Mo Xiao’s quick reaction, her consciousness sea would probably have been completely destroyed by it just now.
But what exactly was that thing? How could it have such terrible power?
Su Tang stabilized her mind and manipulated her spiritual power again, dissipating the mist at the rear. As the mist scattered bit by bit, a clack-clack sound gradually rang out.
First to enter her view were two sharp blades glinting with cold light. Then, Su Tang saw the full appearance of that thing. Its entire body shape was like a disgusting wriggling meat worm, only two sharp blades grew from its sides. As it walked forward, the two blades struck the ground clack-clack, like an executioner coming from hell.
“It’s a Grade A pollutant. How can there be two Grade A pollutants here?”
The White Tower initially rated this place as A because there was likely one pollutant that had just evolved to Grade A. But there were actually two here, and of such massive size; they had probably reached the peak state of Grade A. This degree could absolutely be rated as Grade S. Those guys at the White Tower responsible for detection were really getting worse and worse.
That fellow turned its direction with a clack-clack. Su Tang watched its movements quietly, seeing that mass of wriggling meat suddenly perk up a small tip. Only then did she discover that this guy actually had a single eye. That big eye looked so evil, staring straight in her direction.
“Pollutants feed on spiritual power. It’s probably eyeing Guide Su’s spiritual power.”
A Guide’s spiritual power had always been thicker than a Sentinel’s.
“Protect the Guide.”
Mo Xiao shielded Su Tang behind him. Kelai led the squad to raise energy guns and shoot at that fellow. Unexpectedly, this action seemed to anger it. The blades swept across, overturning two Sentinels on the right.
This thing’s aggression was simply heinous. But they were hindered by the red mist emitted by the meat ball in the rear, daring not easily release their spiritual entities; otherwise, they wouldn’t be this restricted by it.
“Kelai, take the wounded and fall back.”
Mo Xiao’s voice was calm, carrying an unquestionable command. The red mist eventually affected the Silver Wolf; the little guy rolled on the ground in pain.
Under conditions of such high pollution, it was fundamentally unfavorable for Sentinels to fight. If it were just him alone, he could gamble on a fight, but these Sentinels were brought out by him; he had an obligation to bring them all back.
“But Captain, the mission isn’t finished…”
“Execute the order.”
Mo Xiao interrupted sternly. Waves of stinging pain came from his consciousness sea; he knew the Silver Wolf was also nearing its limit.
Su Tang stood behind Mo Xiao, watching the little guy rolling painfully on the ground, a trace of heartache surging in her heart.
She manipulated the remaining spiritual power in her body, reaching out toward the little guy on the ground.
“Don’t touch it. This thing will swallow your spiritual power along with it.”
Mo Xiao interrupted Su Tang’s movement. The red mist was different from the black mist; this stuff was extremely corrosive. He could feel it swallowing his spiritual power bit by bit. Su Tang’s level wasn’t high; if she rashly contacted this red mist now and got entangled by this thing, it would be hard to shake off.
Just then, those two sharp blades attacked toward their direction again. Mo Xiao controlled his spiritual power, setting up a barrier in front of the two.
The meat ball in the rear increased the surge of red mist. Intense red mist that obscured vision attacked Mo Xiao. The barrier was shattered, and the blades rushed in. Su Tang saw the man turn sideways, blocking in front of her.
“Mo Xiao.”
Su Tang cried out in alarm. She looked at where Mo Xiao was injured; blood-red mist entangled with black mist, scrambling to rush into Mo Xiao’s body from the torn wound.
“Don’t move, I’ll try to help you force these mists out…”
Su Tang’s entire hand was trembling.
“Go.”
Mo Xiao pushed her toward Kelai.
“Captain!”
“Kelai, take her and leave.”
Mo Xiao’s voice carried unquestionable majesty. The Silver Wolf understood its master’s intent and pulled itself together from the ground, charging toward the mass of carrion in the rear to finish that guy off first before dealing with the thing in front.
Kelai gritted his teeth and grabbed Su Tang beside him.
“Guide Su, let’s withdraw first.”
Su Tang looked back. The Silver Wolf charged valiantly at the carrion. The spiritual power unique to Mo Xiao glowed faintly between the two monsters. The roars of the alien objects and the Silver Wolf’s howls flooded into her eardrums, vying to be heard. Su Tang’s heart felt as if it had been gripped by someone, lifted up bit by bit.
“He won’t be in trouble.”
Kelai comforted her while panting, but his voice lacked confidence.
“The Captain is a Super S-class Sentinel. Those two things can’t hurt him yet…”
Su Tang didn’t speak, just clenched her fists tight.
This was her first mission and the first time seeing such a scene. Her mind kept replaying the figure of the man blocking in front of her when the blades broke through the barrier.
Arm gripped by Kelai, with Sentinels opening the path ahead, they retreated all the way to the safe zone. Su Tang seemed to have completely lost the ability to think. Only what Mo Xiao said in her ear before departure remained in her mind…
He would protect her well.
Kelai arranged for the members to stand guard. Su Tang stood up from the ground.
“I want to go back and find him.”
She couldn’t leave Mo Xiao alone.
Kelai hurriedly stopped her.
“Guide Su, no! Captain Mo’s mission for me was to take you away. I cannot let you return there again.”
“But I can’t leave him there alone.”
Su Tang’s voice trembled slightly. Before leaving, she clearly saw the blood-red mist and black mist eroding Mo Xiao.
“His consciousness sea is being attacked. My spiritual power might be able to help him…”
Kelai gripped Su Tang’s arm firmly.
“Guide Su, going back now has no meaning. If even the Captain can’t retreat unscathed from that environment, you going back now is tantamount to sending another life to death.”
“The Captain’s mission for me was to take you away and protect you. No matter what, I won’t let you go back.”
Su Tang shook off Kelai’s hand confining her shoulder.
“Do we just wait here then? I can’t sit still. I must go back and take a look.”
Awoo—
The Silver Wolf’s howl came.
“It’s the Captain! The Silver Wolf brought the Captain back.”
The shouts of the Sentinels guarding the perimeter settled Su Tang’s uneasiness slightly.
The Silver Wolf’s pace became increasingly hurried.
Su Tang followed the sound. The man was collapsed entirely on the Silver Wolf’s back; he was carried back by the Silver Wolf. Blood-red mist surrounded his body. Su Tang’s legs went soft, and she rushed quickly toward the Silver Wolf.
“Please wait a moment, Guide Su. The pollution gas on the Captain hasn’t been dispelled. Going over now will only increase the risk of you being polluted.”
“Move aside.”
The little guy’s condition wasn’t good either. She had never seen the Silver Wolf so weak; the entire spiritual entity seemed to be gradually dissipating. Su Tang knew Mo Xiao’s pollution value must have reached the brink of collapse.
“Be good. It hurts, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, it’ll be better in a moment.”
Su Tang slumped to the ground, her right hand placing on the Silver Wolf’s head, striving to mobilize her spiritual power to perform a simple purification for the Silver Wolf. The little guy’s spirit improved slightly. It pushed the man on its back in front of her, its small head arching against her uncontrollably.
“Alright, alright, I know. I won’t let anything happen to him.”
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